2019 Rugby World Cup: Handre Pollard hospitalised with eye socket fracture after Springboks' World cup win

Handre Pollard finds a gap in the defence. Photo: NZ Herald/Mark Mitchell

Springboks first five-eighth Handre Pollard will miss South Africa's victory tour after fracturing his eye socket.

Pollard is out of action for six weeks after sustaining the injury during South Africa's historic 32-12 victory in the World Cup Final at Yokohama last week, where he was awarded Player of the Match.

The 25-year-old watched from a hospital bed as his teammates showed off the William Webb Ellis Cup in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Soweto on Thursday.

Posting to social media, Pollard shared a photo of his heavily swollen eye from the hospital.

"Not quite the trophy tour I had in mind," Pollard wrote.

"Would do this a 1000 times over to hold Bill again."

Unfortunately Handre Pollard will miss the @Springboks' trophy tour after suffering a broken cheekbone. pic.twitter.com/Bwbyom5PcD

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) November 7, 2019

South Africa's tour is scheduled to visit Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town over the coming days.

It was the rainbow nation's third Rugby World Cup title and first since 2007.

"The reception from the public was unbelievable. Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine so many South Africans would turn up on a working day to greet the team," Pollard said.

Springboks teammate Lood de Jager is also injured, needing surgery on a dislocated shoulder — he is not expected to return to professional rugby for at least four months.

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A post shared by Handre Pollard (@handrepollard)

Pollard scored 22 points during last week's Final, the most by an individual player since Australia's Matt Burke slotted 25 points with the boot in 1999. He was also the tournament's leading pointscorer, with 69.

The talented fly half has played 48 test matches for South Africa, scoring 457 points, including six tries.

Pollard recently announced he would no longer represent the Pretoria-based Bulls in Super Rugby tournaments — once he has recovered, he will travel to France to join Top 14 side Montpellier.