Junior Springboks captain Handré Pollard was named the IRB Junior Player of the Year despite defeat to England in the final.

Pollard, playing in his third consecutive Junior World Championship, was one of the star performers for the South African side that finished second in New Zealand.

He started every match in South Africa's run to the final, finishing as the tournament's second highest point-scorer with 65 points.

His distribution, tactical kicking and leadership abilities have seen him earmarked as a future Springbok flyhalf. He is expected to make his full international bow before the year is up and will return home amid calls for him to feature in the Springboks' Test against Scotland next Saturday.