Rassie Erasmus Praises Henry Pollock Ahead of Nations Championship Clash
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has lavished praise on England star Henry Pollock ahead of their Nations Championship meeting next month. Pollock, 21, earned man-of-the-match honours in Northampton Saints' Premiership final victory over Exeter Chiefs on Saturday. His performances have stirred controversy in South Africa, with Springboks coaching team member Duane Vermeulen stating earlier this year that he would consider coming out of retirement for 10 minutes to face him.
Erasmus, however, focused on Pollock's on-field output. "He's like Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu]," Erasmus said. "People make a big deal about certain players, but I don't always think the players themselves want that attention. What counts is what they do on the field and recently he's been doing that. If I were coaching him, I'd only look at his output, and that has been exceptional."
Wigglesworth Backs Pollock's Big-Stage Mentality
England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth reinforced the view that Pollock thrives under pressure. "He's obviously an elite-level player in terms of talent and what he brings," said Wigglesworth. "The experience that he's exposed to at the minute means that hopefully he's learning rapidly, which it looks like he's doing. He's going to be around [a long time] if he wants to be. Everything I've seen in him shows that that's the sort of character he is, that he wants to, for everything that everyone says, wants to be coached, wants to get better and wants to perform on the biggest stages."
Jason Hyatt Appointed Director of Rugby at Gowerton RFC
Gowerton RFC have confirmed the appointment of Jason Hyatt as their new director of rugby. Hyatt, a well-respected figure in Welsh rugby, stepped down from his role at Aberavon RFC earlier this year due to health issues after 13 years in charge. The Wizards confirmed in April that he would not return. Now, after a short break, Hyatt has joined the Swansea club. "Gowerton RFC coaching team update. We are excited to welcome new Director of Rugby Jason Hyatt," a club statement read on social media. "Jason brings a huge amount of experience, to support the coaches and players. Welcome to the Starch family, Jason." He will work alongside head coach Rhodri Jones, forwards coach Will Griffiths, and backs coach Stuart Allen.
Jack Walsh on USA Test Call-Up Radar
Former Ospreys full-back Jack Walsh appears to be closing in on a Test debut for the United States after being named on a longlist by USA Rugby. Head coach Scott Lawrence selected a 31-man squad for the Nations Cup campaign, with matches against Portugal, Zimbabwe, and Spain. Walsh, born in Florida but raised in Manly, Australia, was listed among players unavailable due to injury or availability, alongside Toulouse prop David Ainu'u and Bristol Bears fly-half AJ MacGinty. However, his inclusion on the list suggests he is on the brink of a first cap. Walsh left the Ospreys for French club Montauban. He previously represented Australia in rugby sevens and would have qualified for Wales had he stayed in the country.
Jake White Open to Leinster Head Coach Role
Former South Africa head coach Jake White has not ruled out applying for the Leinster head coach position, describing the province as "the Barcelona of rugby." Leinster are seeking a replacement for Leo Cullen, who confirmed he will leave at the end of next season. White, who led South Africa to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, told the RTÉ Rugby podcast: "Stranger things have happened in rugby, haven't they? If you'd asked me a year ago if I was coaching the Bulls next year, I would have said yes." He praised Cullen, saying: "It's the Barcelona of rugby – Leinster - and it's like coaching an international job. If you think about it, people say they want to coach an international team, that's as close to getting an international gig by coaching a club team."
Steve Borthwick's Coaching Approach Backed by Van Poortvliet
England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet has revealed that head coach Steve Borthwick encourages ambitious play but is unafraid to deliver the "hairdryer treatment" when standards slip. England face South Africa at Ellis Park on July 5 in the Nations Championship opener, followed by fixtures against Fiji in Liverpool and Argentina in Santiago del Estero. After a four-Test losing run and a worst-ever Six Nations finish, Van Poortvliet said: "You always know that playing for England brings added pressure and can create that feeling of 'I don't want to make a mistake'. That's the big thing we're trying to push at the moment and Steve has been brilliant at it." He added: "Steve's good at reading the room at half-time and seeing what boys need and he'll do whatever he thinks is best to get a response. Even if it looks good on the scoreboard, he might have seen something that isn't up to standard and he will give you the hairdryer for that."
