CONFIRMED: Pollard signs for Tigers

NEWS: English Premiership leaders Leicester on Tuesday announced the signing of South Africa World Cup-winning flyhalf Handre Pollard, who will join the club ahead of the 2022/23 season.

The 27-year-old, who was in the Springbok team that beat England in the 2019 World Cup Final, will join the Tigers from French club Montpellier.

His arrival will fill the flyhalf vacancy created by England international George Ford's move from Leicester to Sale next year.

Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick said: "Handre is a world-class flyhalf who brings with him a wealth of experience from Super Rugby, Top 14 and international rugby.

"He is a World Cup winner who has been highly sought after from clubs all over the globe. But, most pleasingly, he sees Leicester Tigers as the club for him."

Pollard said he was excited to join a "special club", who have won all nine of their Premiership games so far this season but have not been crowned English champions since 2013.

"The club is going brilliantly at the moment and I know there is an expectation to continue that, to keep getting better, because getting to the top is hard, but staying there is even harder," he said.

"There are bigger deals on the table, but I've made this decision to work with Steve and to be a part of an unreal, great club at Leicester Tigers which has such a great history."