England rugby star Henry Pollock was met with a hostile reception from the South African crowd as he came off the bench in Saturday's 45-21 defeat to the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The 21-year-old Northampton Saints flanker was booed loudly when his name was announced before the match and again as he entered the field shortly before the hour mark, with Steve Borthwick's side trailing.
Pollock Targeted by Home Crowd
Pollock, who could not prevent the Springboks from scoring two more tries in the final 10 minutes to reach seven total, was jeered every time he touched the ball. This was his first international match against South Africa, but he has become a figure of contempt among Springbok fans, pundits, and former players due to his confident persona.
Mistaken Identity for Teammate
England teammate Guy Pepper was also loudly booed when he handled the ball, but this was a case of mistaken identity. Both Pollock and Pepper play in the back row and have similar appearances on the field, leading the crowd to confuse the two. Pepper had done nothing to provoke the hostility.
Warning from a Stranger
England captain George Furbank revealed that Pollock had been approached by a stranger in the team hotel who warned him, "South Africans are coming for you." Furbank noted that Pollock seems unfazed by the animosity, saying, "Every time we’ve spoken about the opposition hating him, he seems to go out and perform. He seems to get better and better the bigger the stage."
Explaining the Hostility
Former British and Irish Lion John Robbie, now a talk radio host in South Africa, explained why Pollock attracts such disdain. "He embodies that particular English fascination with personality, star quality," Robbie told the Telegraph. "That’s precisely what triggers South Africans, particularly Afrikaners. South Africans are supposed to be quiet, dour, stiff-upper-lip, modest, thankful to God. Then you have this kid who is everything they don’t like: he’s outspoken, brash, a bit arrogant." Robbie added that despite the hostility, South Africans respect Pollock's talent and potential genius.
