mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
David Flatman described Henry Pollock as “the new Taylor Swift of his generation” after Northampton The Saints star ensured the hype surrounding him showed no sign of slowing down on the opening weekend of the Gallagher PREM.
Flatman made the comparison after the Saints’ 59-26 victory Newcastle Red Bulls, a game in which Pollock made his 50th appearance for the club just days after signing a new contract at Franklin’s Gardens.
The 21-year-old had already attracted plenty of attention before the ball was kicked, warming up in a scrum cap before removing it moments before kick-off to reveal a new set of cornrows. His recent relationship with promoter Eddie Hearn has also added another dimension to his rapidly rising profile.
While Tommy Freeman and James Pater grabbed hat-trick tries in Northampton’s nine-try win, Pollock remained one of the main talking points afterwards, with Austin Healey suggesting England The back rower could help bring rugby to a whole new audience.
Healey warned, however, that Pollock must continue to back up the attention with his performances, especially to retain the respect of more traditional supporters as the hysteria surrounding him continues to grow.
“He’s a movement. He’s the new Taylor Swift of his generation,” Flatman explained on TNT Sports.
Speaking about Pollock’s new agent, Healey continued: “Eddie Hearn is great at what he does, and he’s taking rugby, through Pollock, to new eyes, which is what we need.
“What he needs to do, Pollock, is remember two things. Rugby is very much about respect and the old boys who watch the game, who don’t like this new movement, match-day hairdos and pink boots.
“You can still ingratiate yourself with those guys by getting stuck in, week in and week out, which I think he does, and in spades.
“He has a lot of respect for the game. Just because it’s the new age, the age of social media, he’s probably the greatest English social media player we’ve got.
“He’s going to get bigger and bigger, but first of all he has to perform on the field.”
