Steve Borthwick remembers in vivid detail his first meeting with Henry Pollock. The England head coach had not long taken the role and had travelled up to Northampton to check in with the club’s contingent within his squad. Before travelling up to Franklin’s Gardens, though, he got a tip about a teenage talent barely out of school but already making waves within the Saints setup.
“I was told when you’re up there you should meet Henry Pollock,” Borthwick recalled after handing the 21-year-old 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 call; there was no shock of blonde hair at that stage, but the youngster still made quite an impression.
