Henry Pollock's First England Start Aims to Revive Team After Scotland Loss

Steve Borthwick vividly remembers his initial encounter with Henry Pollock. The England head coach, shortly after assuming his role, traveled to Northampton to visit the club's squad members. Before arriving at Franklin's Gardens, he received a tip about a teenage talent, barely out of school, already making waves within the Saints setup.

"I was told when you're up there you should meet Henry Pollock," Borthwick recalled after selecting the 21-year-old for his first England start against Ireland. "He's a young player, with a huge future ahead of him, he's not yet played for the first team but you should meet Henry Pollock." Borthwick heeded the advice; though there was no shock of blonde hair at that time, the youngster left a lasting impression.

A Bundle of Energy and Character

"I was stood in the car park and this bundle of energy just bounced up to me," the England boss continued. "Typically when an 18-year-old meets the England head coach for the first time they are usually on the shy and retiring side. But this man is the complete opposite, gregarious, loud, the first thing he said was, 'how are you, mate?'. I thought, right, you're different. Wonderfully different, and that's the kind of character we've got in the squad. He's larger than life, isn't he? Just wants to do well, wants to express himself."

It feels somewhat unusual that Pollock's profile already surpasses his relative standing within the England squad. While he has played a crucial role as a bench energizer in seven appearances since his two-try debut against Wales at the end of last year's Six Nations, and even earned a spot on a British and Irish Lions tour, the clamor for the back rower to start has not been overwhelming.

Timing and Team Adjustments

This is partly due to a run of 12 consecutive wins that ended with England's tough evening at Murrayfield, as well as the form of a competitive pack in the back row. However, the moment has arrived for this dynamic player of the TikTok generation to assume a leading role. Pollock joins a new-look trio at the base of the scrum alongside Tom Curry, similarly promoted from the bench, and Ben Earl, who moves to the openside.

Borthwick had always planned a few adjustments, partly because of a modified Six Nations schedule that now features three Tests played consecutively. The energy the 21-year-old brings will be invaluable, acting as a sort of human Berocca after England's heavy night in Edinburgh.

"I don't think he needs any motivation from anything external, which I love – he is so intrinsically driven, he is that character," Borthwick said. "What you see is exactly what you get. He gets people as a player gets people excited, he gets people jumping up and down with joy. He can bring a euphoria to people that not many players can."

Challenge and Maturity

Borthwick also emphasized Pollock's attention to detail and his drive to improve both on and off the pitch. If there is a maturity about the youngster that isn't always immediately obvious – Borthwick cited a moment from a Northampton win over Munster in early 2025 as evidence of his game understanding – there is also a certain naivety that England might need as they strive to bounce back.

Even at Murrayfield, with the game lost, it was Pollock who embraced former Lions colleague Finn Russell after a futile attempt to charge down the game-ending clearance to touch. However, adjusting to a starting role will present a challenge; he can also anticipate plenty of Irish niggle.

Backline Changes and Team Backing

If the home back row appears light on lineout jumpers – Ireland might consider Tadhg Beirne or Cormac Izuchukwu on the flank in response – it remains a side filled with dynamism. The straightforward choice after Henry Arundell's sending off against Scotland might have been to leave the wing out, even though a ban did not follow his two yellow cards. His presence ensures pace in an otherwise potentially one-dimensional backline, with Ollie Lawrence brought into the centres and Tommy Freeman moving back to the wing.

Tom Roebuck, who entered this campaign having not played since November due to injury, has lacked some sharpness and is replaced. "[Henry] came back into the squad prior to the autumn, played a little bit but not much, but has been challenged to improve some areas. He has gone away and improved them," Borthwick stressed. "He has gone away and strived to be better. Saturday was... a difficult day. Clearly it hit him personally. The guy is still a fantastic rugby player who has worked desperately hard and is clearly very passionate about playing for England. I can't wait to see him out there again on Saturday."

There are no other changes to the starting team, with captain Maro Itoje earning his 100th cap. The inclusion of Jack van Poortvliet and Marcus Smith shows a desire for a different kind of impact, but most players have been backed to perform again. After the performance England delivered in Edinburgh, Borthwick has challenged several senior figures to respond appropriately.

"There are players in the team that are playing this week because I'm backing them to put in a performance that they'll want to put in after last week," he emphasized. "If it had gone the way everything wanted to go last week, perhaps I would have changed them as well, but it didn't quite go the way we wanted it to, we didn't quite get the result we wanted to, and I'm backing players there and I want players to feel backed. We've got a real good squad here, there's a lot of players I could have picked, but I want players to feel backed."