A vibrant atmosphere was experienced at the O2 Arena, where 2,000 fans gathered to witness the announcement of the British & Irish Lions team. Among the crowd, some Northampton Saints jerseys stood out, anticipating a special moment.
The anticipation grew with each name revealed, but the real explosion came when Ieuen Evans, the Lions tour manager, pronounced the name of Henry Pollock. The roar that echoed through the venue was deafening, a clear reflection of the fervor that the player generates in Northampton.
The inclusion of Pollock in the list of 38 players was the surprise of the day.
Despite his youth, at just 20 years old and with only a few minutes of experience in trials, his performance in Northampton’s recent triumph over Leinster convinced coach Andy Farrell that his selection was unavoidable.
Meteoric Rise
Pollock’s trajectory has been dizzying. On January 21, 2023, in a match between Northampton Saints and La Rochelle, a member of the Northampton youth team staff already glimpsed the potential of the young captain. The prediction was accurate: Pollock became a well-known name in a short time, standing out in the England U20 team and earning minutes in the Gallagher Premiership, which generated comments in the halls of Twickenham about his future in the English national team.
Andy Farrell explains his son Owen’s exclusion from the Lions squad.
In this year’s Six Nations tournament, Pollock started with the under-20 team, but ended up being called to the first team’s bench for the match against Wales. In that match, Pollock, far from being intimidated, scored two tries.
Following his outstanding performance, Pollock shared his hopes of being a starter on the England summer tour, a dream that was beginning to materialize. Competition at the number eight position intensified, opening the door to a possible place for Pollock in the matches against Argentina in July.
An adorable “airhead”
Since the match against Wales, “Pollock-mania” has been unleashed. His outstanding plays, such as the try against the Sale Sharks where he dodged the opposing defense, and his provocative score against Castres, have generated great expectation.
Pollock is rapidly becoming a cult hero in Northampton.
Pollock, with his unique style, has become an idol for the new generations, being the most followed player of Northampton on Instagram. When asked in a podcast if he was a “good guy or a blockhead”, Pollock replied: “A bit of both, an adorable blockhead”.
If you don’t know him, you want to hate him, but as soon as you get to know him, you can’t help but like his energy and personality. He is ridiculously competitive in everything.
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On the eve of the Lions team announcement, Northampton shared a video showing the changing room during halftime in Dublin. Pollock, with calm and confidence, captured everyone’s attention, reminding us of the young Owen Farrell on the 2013 Lions tour.
Now, Farrell hopes Pollock will drive the team on the tour. Competition for a place in the third line has become even more interesting.
Henry Pollock scored two tries in his England debut.
Farrell commented: “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. When you see a player performing the way he has, age doesn’t matter. People have been waiting to see if he can do it in the big games, week after week, and there it is for everyone to see.”
“I’ve heard many things about the young people who are emerging: he’s confident, he’s arrogant. This isn’t just about Henry, it’s about young people in general. But what do we want? Do we want a kid to show his confidence at 23, 24 instead of 20? It’s about the here and now, isn’t it? If he’s performing against the quality he’s been doing, then he’s ready. He’s ready to compete. I’m sure you’ll see the fight in him. I’m sure he’ll push everyone else who didn’t realize he was coming. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”
