Former England internationals James Haskell and Mike Tindall have warned Henry Pollock that a seven-figure contract is unlikely, despite his agent's claims he deserves one.
Pollock's agent Eddie Hearn has stirred debate by suggesting the 21-year-old should be paid £1 million a year, arguing that rugby's salary cap is limiting his earning potential and that English rugby is failing to capitalise on one of its biggest stars.
The back rower, who toured with the British & Irish Lions last year, is reported to earn around £150,000 a year from Northampton Saints, plus an additional £150,000 through his enhanced England contract.
Hearn's claims and reality check
Hearn has described Pollock as a "red-hot superstar" and "the future of the sport", insisting he is worth far more than his current wages.
However, with only three players in world rugby – and one in England – believed to command seven-figure salaries, Pollock has been told that even if he merits such a deal, finding a club willing to pay it will be tough.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, Haskell and Tindall agreed Pollock deserves a pay rise but doubted a million-pound deal is achievable without leaving England and risking his international career.
Tindall's blunt assessment
"First and foremost, £150,000 for Henry Pollock is a joke," Tindall said. "He should be on way more than that. But whether he'll get to a million, I just don't think that's possible.
"I think Eddie's got to realise that he's got to make money outside the game rather than inside it. But that's where we are in rugby, our hands are tied at the moment.
"Our hands are tied by clubs that can't afford it, clubs are constantly losing money," he added. "The salary cap rules are being enforced as strongly as they ever have been, so it makes it very tricky for him to move anywhere else."
Haskell's view on value and earnings
Haskell echoed Tindall's comments, stating: "I agree with what Tinds says about £150,000 at this stage is too little for him. But with where he's come from and how quickly he's come from there, that was the contract that was negotiated.
"Now, it's not that he isn't worth it or whatever, there isn't the money to pay anyone, and that's the bit that everyone's missing. There's no money to pay him a million quid.
"Also, you lose money if you're not playing for England. No one cares about you if you don't play for England. As we know, most people don't follow club sides. If they do, they're die-hard rugby fans. Most people don't do it."
Haskell, a former Wasps and Northampton flanker, added: "Off-field earnings I think are where he needs to be. Does his contract need to be bigger? Yes, 100%. Is he picking a battle to get more salary? I don't know where you go, because you have to stay in England.
"Would you pay a back-row player a marquee amount of money when he doesn't kick goals and he isn't a playmaker? What do you value? If you took it on a direct media value and PR stuff and we're encouraging kids, shirt sales with Pollock's name on the back, that has its value.
"But is he ever going to be paid that money by a Premiership team? No, not at the moment because there isn't any money."
Pollock's growing reputation
Pollock is already a pantomime villain for some, thanks to his confident persona. Haskell warned that Hearn's demands will only increase the scrutiny on the young back rower.
"Rugby is not like football," he added. "No one is bigger than the game. If you're the outlier in comparison to everybody else, it makes your life very difficult.
"It will be interesting to see how thick a skin Henry Pollock actually does have, because he's going to get hammered. That's what rugby clubs do, that's what people do in rugby. They don't like anybody that puts their head above the parapet. So I hope it works out."
