Henry Pollock has signed a new multi-year contract extension with Northampton Saints that will see him stay at his boyhood club beyond this season.
Pollock has been a key part of the Saints squad since breaking out as a 17-year-old in 2022, delivering a Man of the Match performance during their Gallagher PREM final victory last season.
The back-rower already has 13 England caps and five British and Irish Lions caps, with his growing appeal seeing him become the first rugby player to join Eddie Hearn’s Talent Agency earlier this year.
Pollock previously said he had an open mind about the next steps in his career, with Hearn labeling him worth at least £1million a year, but the 21-year-old is now looking forward to extending his time at Saints.
In a statement, Pollock said: “I’m extremely happy to re-sign with Saints, my boyhood club. It’s an exciting place to be right now. We’re in a great place as a team, but it feels like there’s still a lot more growth for us.
“I’m still young and we have a young team with a great group of guys. Some of my best teammates are here and every day everyone pushes each other to get better and be the best players and team we can be. For where I am in my career, that’s exactly where I want to be.
“I feel like we’ve just started. We won the PREM last season and we want to go again. Winning the Champions Cup is another big ambition for us. We came so close a few years ago, and to achieve that together would be extra special.
“I just want to enjoy every moment of this journey. I’m playing for my boyhood club, surrounded by great people and that’s something I never take for granted. The bonds within this group are what make it such a special place.”
Saints Director of Rugby Phil Dowson added: “We are delighted that Henry has committed his future to Saints.
“Over the last few years, everyone has seen the quality he brings to the pitch and the speed at which he rises through the game – but just as importantly, he is a young man of tremendous character.
Pollock scored ten tries in 20 appearances for Saints last season
“Keeping someone with his talent and mentality is extremely important for the club.”
“Rugby not used to Pollock and Hearn’s contract stance”
Sky Sports News’ James Cole:
“Henry Pollock’s transfer clash with Northampton divided the club’s fan base. England is a generational talent. The friction wasn’t just financial, it was cultural.
“Rugby is not used to the kind of public attitude that Pollock and his agent Eddie Hearn have engaged in regarding this new deal. It’s very un-rugby. Very un-gentlemanly.
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Rugby star Henry Pollock tries to share his golf tips using a simulator with Sky Sports reporter Mantej Mann, as the Northampton Saints player enjoys playing the sport in his spare time.
“Some will say that the sport and the attitude of its fans need to evolve. Others will say that these are the core values that drive people to play, watch and fall in love with the game.
“The new £400,000 contract is likely to represent a tripling of Pollock’s wages and make him one of the highest paid players in the Premiership.
“It’s not the seven-figure sum Hearn thinks his client is worth — but within the parameters of the league and its salary cap, it’s an excellent deal. The 21-year-old has the potential to become one of the sport’s all-time greats, but he’s not there yet.”