by There are two types of rugby union fans in this country. Many people already know about Henry Pollock, perhaps through sharp peaks of activity by age. The rest, a doubter, will come to know him soon.
Pollock was already building a lot of buzz ahead of Friday night, when he made his debut for England Under-20s with a hat-trick in Treviso as Italy won 36-11. After reaching 19 last month, all-time leader Northampton Saints will also be eligible for this level next year.
Richard Hill, who won the 2003 World Cup and is now England manager, is a valuable mentor to young full-backs, acting as a sounding board for Sam Underhill and Tom Curry. This year, he alerted Steve Borthwick to the potential of Ethan Roots, who promptly won the player-of-the-match award at the start of the Test in Rome. Hill contacted Pollock a few days ago.
“Hilly got in touch after the Italy game at the weekend and gave me a few pointers,” explains Pollock. Of course, a master of the ‘unseen work’ faced some subtleties.
“He was mainly talking about my work rate off the ball,” says Pollock of Hill’s tips. “Sometimes I might get a bit lazy, walking around the field. He is very good to me because he will see things that I would not normally notice.
“I know now, going into the game at Bath [against Wales], I need to work harder at startup and at times like that, without switching off. Hopefully it’s something I’ll adapt to my game.”
As for talents that are easier to notice – speed, evasive footwork, offloading and break-break defense – Pollock seems to have it in abundance. He supported Ben Redshaw’s break to get his first score against Italy before tearing 30 meters through two tackles to add a second from a loose tail.
The troubled blond teenager set up England’s fourth try, tapping home a penalty and lofting a pass to Josh Bellamy, and rubber-stamped victory when he capitalized on a late drive off the line.
Pollock suggests a “special” victory, based on a “squad effort”. England take on Wales on Friday at The Rec, where they host a strong Irish side on March 8.
It seemed like an inevitable start for Pollock, who signed his first professional contract with Northampton last spring while still at Stowe School.
A year earlier, in 2022, he captained the England under-18 team in South Africa and returned with a first-of-the-series award. The hosts edged out a thrilling decider 44-41. Pollock’s emotional post-game interview drew widespread attention.
“Listen, the f—— lads are buzzing after that,” he told a TV reporter. “That f—— scoreboard shows a lot of heart. We came back when we wanted to come back and I’m very proud of the boys there. I’m f—— proud.”
In fact, such authenticity is exactly what we often need from stars in the spotlight. Reflecting some 18 months later, Pollock stands by the sentiment, if not the language used.
Interview with ‘F-bomb’
“We didn’t get an interview after the last two, so I didn’t really expect to be interviewed,” he remembers. “We lost at the last minute and it was… a political moment, the reason we lost.
“I got into the interview and said some wrong things. If I could go back, I would change it. My intention was correct, I only dropped the F-bomb a few times. You live and learn, right?”
After that trip, in January 2023 while playing for the Saints Academy in a friendly match at Cinch Stadium, Pollock threw around 75 meters on a superb solo run. Approaching his own 22, he went around a potential man and then went over two more to reach the try line.
This season, followed a great trajectory. At the end of September, Pollock was included in the Saints’ line-up for the Premiership Cup final against Bath. Underhill was their next number, and Northampton prevailed 43-42.
Premier League debut, from the bench against Leicester Tigers, in November. In a sign of Pollock’s promise and progress, Saints fans believe his emergence could ease the burden of Lewis Ludlam’s departure. Highly recommended.
Just before Christmas, after going on loan to Bedford Blues in the Championship, Pollock got on the roll with another quick break from his own 22 against Ampthill.
Not that he seeks these moments. Ben Earl is one man who needed to lose his reputation as a ‘highlight reel player’, be it fairly or unfairly earned. Pollock understands the need to be a secure operator.
“You can’t have a big highlight reel and then not do the basics well,” he says. “I’m not proud of the highlights; I’m proud of the stuff that nobody sees. That’s what wins games; tackling, ball carrying, jacks – the basics I want in my locker.
“If you get too big and think about the future, you won’t be working on the basics. I’m proud of working on that every day and staying grounded because, at the end of the day, you’re only as good as your next performance, no matter what’s happened in the past.”
Size, as well as application, could be another requirement for your future success at senior level. Pollock has caught the eye during Northampton’s squad parade this summer and believes he needs to be more at the top level eventually.
“There is a bit of talk about slowly increasing [my weight],” he says. “I’m sitting at about 100kg [15st 10lbs] now and I think they want me at 107 or 108kg [17st], but a little heavier so I can take more impact. I hope I don’t lose my pace during that process, but I trust the coaches at Saints.”
‘Even if you’re not the biggest, it looks like you are’
Fittingly, two of Pollock’s models are flankers that exceed what the scales read. “Michael Hooper was always someone I looked up to. He went around the field and it’s not the biggest block. But he gave me the confidence that even if you are not the biggest man on the field, he would see you as you are.
“I used to go and watch the Saints games and the way Teimana Harrison carried himself, with loads of attacking and a lot of fight, was really inspiring too.”
A sporting family must have provided a strong support network. Hester, Pollock’s mother, was a national level triathlete. His sister, Zoe, is a 400m hurdler at the University of Georgia. Both fathers, John, and his brother Angus are skate golfers. Pollock reckons his handicap would be in the late mid-teens, but he counts a birdie on the 18th hole at Gleneagles on his swelling CV.
“It was a few years ago,” he laughs. “The round was going pretty well and I think I went with a three iron off the tee. The approach shot was reasonable; I stuck close enough. Then I worked the green pretty well and … I got the ball in the hole, my friend. It was a surreal moment.”
Pollock has also felt surreal over the past year. But the landmarks won’t let up. Wales Under-20s opened their Six Nations campaign by knocking out Scotland 37-29. Pollock and his colleagues will have to be at their best this Friday.
“It’s about adapting to each new level,” he concludes. “Friday was my first taste of under-20s. This weekend it will be about how I can support that performance.”
