England sensation Henry Pollock has been praised by former international James Haskell, who said the young back row 'would land on a bed made of winning lottery tickets' if thrown out a window. Pollock's meteoric rise over the past year has seen him go from U20s rugby to the British and Irish Lions tour, and his recent Haka reaction has divided opinion among fans.
The 20-year-old Northampton Saints star began last year's Six Nations with the U20s before making a try-scoring debut for the senior team against Wales. He helped Northampton reach the European Champions Cup final and was later selected for the Lions tour of Australia, becoming the youngest player on the squad.
Pollock's celebrations and youthful energy have drawn mixed reactions, but Haskell is a huge fan. Speaking to the Mirror via Heart Bingo, Haskell said: 'I love him. I think he's great for the game. He's got this vibe about him. If you threw him out the window, he'd land on a bed made of winning lottery tickets at the moment.'
Pollock has been part of England's 'Pom Squad' off the bench this autumn, scoring against Australia and helping secure wins over Fiji and New Zealand. His staredown of the Haka during the New Zealand match went viral. England's 10th consecutive win saw them beat the All Blacks at Twickenham for the first time in 13 years.
The 20-year-old has been nominated for World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, joining New Zealand's Fabian Holland, South Africa's Ethan Hooker, and Australia's Joseph Sua'ali'i on the shortlist. The award will be announced on Saturday. England will aim to round out their Autumn campaign with a win over Argentina on Sunday, seeking their first four-win series in nine years.
