Henry Pollock struts into one of the corporate boxes at Franklin’s Gardens and flings his cap on to the floor. ‘Hey, bro, how you getting on?’ he asks. Cool as you like.
He has just arrived from Northampton’s Christmas lunch. ‘I’ve got Tom Pearson in the Secret Santa,’ he says, fluffing up his peroxide blonde hair. ‘You spend up to £30 on a gift. I’ll probably be given something stupid. A bottle of hair dye or something like that.’
Is a new colour coming in 2026, then? ‘Potentially… you’ve got to wait and see. I like the tail. I’m going to grow it long.’
He pulls up a seat at the same table we were sitting at when the year began. ‘Just before the Champions Cup game in January, wasn’t it?’ Pollock asks, recalling the interview he gave about wanting to establish himself in senior rugby.
Things have moved faster than anyone expected. ‘It’s been pretty mad. Everything happened so quickly. I’ve loved it.
‘Last year was nuts and this year is even bigger for me. With Saints, we want to right the wrongs of what we did in the Champions Cup – losing in the final – and obviously we didn’t do that well in the Premiership. They are our two focuses. Personally, it’s backing up the chat of how well I went last year and making sure it’s not a one-season stint.’
Henry Pollock has burst on to the scene in 2025, becoming an England international and a star for Northampton
Pollock is instantly recognisable due to the peroxide blonde hair but will there be a new colour in 2026? ‘Potentially,’ he says, ‘you’ve got to wait and see’
With Emma Raducanu and Bridgerton star Simone Ashley after beating the All Blacks last month. ‘I’m definitely going to keep more of an eye on tennis now I know Emma!’ says Pollock
His favourite moment? ‘The win away in Leinster was pretty special. Everyone wrote us off that whole week. We just had the belief in our circle. The moment I got called up for the Lions with all the Saints boys around me was pretty cool. Making my England debut in the Principality against Wales was pretty cool. Obviously, there was some off-field stuff, too…’
Like meeting Emma Raducanu? ‘Yeah, she came into England training and then came to the All Blacks game. We were both young when we broke through, with that spotlight. She spoke about the importance of having a close group around you. It was nice to chat to her about her experience. I’m definitely going to keep more of an eye on tennis now I know her!’
Over the course of 2025, Pollock has developed into one of the most talked-about players in world rugby. His skill earned him a nomination as the game’s best breakthrough player. He has become used to showcasing his remarkable athletic talents on the biggest stage.
His team-mates keep him grounded, often making him the butt of their jokes. He bought a house during the summer and lives with academy graduate Toby Thame. ‘We’ve been watching the darts on TV recently. I’ve been getting into the guitar a bit more, too, playing songs for the boys here and there. I’ve been learning Canter by Gerry Cinnamon.’
Pollock has also forged a reputation as one of the game’s most provocative characters. Remembered for licking his lips during the haka before England’s November win over New Zealand and winding up the Irish by checking his pulse after scoring the try to knock Leinster out of the Champions Cup.
As he places his phone face down on the table, I ask about his latest social media post.
‘I’d boo me too,’ he said on Instagram on Sunday night, alongside some images from Northampton’s winning opening block in the Champions Cup. Would he really?
‘Yeah, probably. I was just sat in the house with some of the boys when I posted it. I got quite a lot of stick in the Pau game last week, so it was quite fitting.
Pollock recreates the pulse-checking celebration he did after scoring the try to knock Leinster out of the Champions Cup
‘I like the aggressive nature of games,’ Pollock says. ‘I like the confrontation. It makes the game exciting for the fans and the people watching at home’
‘I like the aggressive nature of games. I like the confrontation. It makes the game exciting for the fans and the people watching at home. That kind of aspect of the game is special for me. If you can get that high in games, then I’m all for it.’
Not many 20-year-olds have such thick skin. ‘I’d boo me too.’ Some players would backtrack on such a comment or ague their words have been misinterpreted to avoid a backlash. Perhaps delete the post altogether. Not Pollock.
‘Growing up with social media, it’s so important to not take it too seriously,’ he says. ‘Online comments come from people who want to put you down and say some stuff about you. It doesn’t matter. My philosophy has been that it only matters what your friends, team-mates and coaches think about you.
‘Outside of that circle, they can say what they want. I don’t read it. I’m very strict on what I do and don’t read on the internet about myself and the team. If it’s not going to benefit me, then I won’t read it.
‘As long as you know who you are and your morals inside of that circle, then it’s fine.’
A TikTok dance he recorded with his England team-mates has now been watched almost 20million times. ‘It’s not the rugby stereotype you’d have had 20 or 30 years ago. I guess we’re trying to change it in that aspect. We’re just trying to be ourselves.’
He is aware of the hype. His profile has rocketed and he is cashing in on the endorsements, posing for photos in the latest tracksuit from his sponsors, Nike. Personality pays and you sense Pollock knows what he is doing.
‘I’m definitely trying to build my profile,’ he admits.
Pollock likes being provocative and licked his lips to annoy New Zealand during their haka at Twickenham in the autumn
‘My main focus is doing well at Saints. We’ve got a young squad and we’re excited about where we can go,’ Pollock says
On the subject of social media posts, I ask Pollock to select his ultimate XV for a quickfire video. ‘Bro, you’ve put me on the spot here! Ok… let’s do current players:
‘1. Ox Nche. 2. Malcolm Marx. 3. Tadhg Furlong. 4. Maro Itoje. 5. Eben Etzebeth. 6. Siya Kolisi. 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit. 8. Ardie Savea…
‘Right now the backs: 9. Antoine Dupont. 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (he’s playing well at the minute!). 11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey. 12 Fraser Dingwall (he’s top of my mind!). 13. Joseph Suaalii. 14. Tommy Freeman and at 15: Will Jordan.
‘And Alex Coles off the bench. Impact. Running those little cheat lines. He can cover second row, No8, winger and centre!’
Is his Springbok-dominated pack an acknowledgement that they are the team everyone is chasing? ‘They’re an amazing team and they’re doing really well at the minute,’ Pollock says. ‘We’re looking at them with great respect. They’re ranked No 1 in the world, so I guess we are chasing them.’
Despite the hype and the headlines, Pollock’s focus remains very much on the rugby pitch. He has become a key member in Steve Borthwick’s ‘Pom Squad’ at Twickenham, deployed in the final quarter to bring his energy in the final throes of a Test match.
England are moving up the international ladder but the Springboks remain the standard-setters. In spite of Pollock’s success on the international stage, he is still waiting for his first start in an England jersey.
‘Starting a Test for England would be an amazing achievement,’ he says. ‘Steve kept speaking to all of us about how even if you’re not picked in the starting team, you’ve still got a role to play in that last quarter.
Pollock – pictured with Joe Heyes (centre) and Tom Curry – has become part of England’s Pom Squad and helped them win the Hillary Shield with their victory over New Zealand
‘Starting a Test for England would be an amazing achievement,’ says Pollock, whose five caps have all come from the bench
‘The game is definitely evolving about how you need the bench. The old persona about rugby is that it’s about the starting XV. Now the bench has a massive impact, especially with Steve and England.
‘The coaches definitely make it heard that the bench has a massive role. There’s no kicking stones or throwing tantrums in the week. We’re always preparing the team and then we’re on the bench, looking at the game to see what we can do and where we can bring an impact.
‘We never really called it anything but people seem to say it’s the “Pom Squad”. It was a different role for me, coming on and giving the impact. It was fun. Tom Curry, with his old head, is amazing to chat to on the bench.
‘We were all really excited to come on and hopefully change the game. We felt like we did that over the four games.’
Pollock’s speed has even seen him covering the wing. Could he see himself starting in the backs in 2026? ‘I haven’t really thought about it. It would be cool. There are some very good wingers in England at the minute so I think that would be a long shot!
‘With the 6-2 bench, Ben Earl can cover 12 and I can cover the wing. It’s only going to be beneficial for the team.
‘It’s something to add to your arsenal and makes you a more well-rounded player.’
‘South Africa are ranked No 1 in the world, so I guess we are chasing them,’ Pollock says
Pollock was integral to England’s win over Australia in the autumn internationals, coming off the bench to score a key try
Everything Pollock says comes back to Northampton. ‘Steve spoke about how he believes this team can go on and do great things. In the back of your mind you’re thinking about that but my main focus is doing well at Saints.
‘We’ve got a young squad and we’re excited about where we can go.’
He poses for a few photographs before setting off to London to see the Christmas lights.
‘Does it look good?‘ he asks, recreating his pulse celebration for the camera. ‘Hood up or hood down?’ Cool as you like, taking it all in his stride.