Dowson praises hot prospect Pollock as young Saints star signs new deal
Phil Dowson hailed Henry Pollock as undoubtedly ‘one of the best prospects in the league’ after handing the hugely talented young forward a new multi-year deal at Saints.
At just 19 years old, Pollock is already forging a big reputation at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
He joined the Senior Academy in the summer of 2023 and has quickly gone on to make 16 senior appearances so far for Saints across the Gallagher Premiership, Investec Champions Cup, and Premiership Rugby Cup competitions, scoring six tries along the way.
On the international stage, the flanker, who is also comfortable at No.8, won the World Rugby Under-20 Championship and the Under-20 Six Nations with England earlier this year – being crowned player of the championship in the latter as England claimed a Grand Slam.
His form for England Under-20 and Saints saw Pollock selected for an England A debut against Australia last month, and he went on to be named player of the match.
Dowson has been delighted with the youngster’s work rate - on and off the field.
And after Pollock’s contract extension was confirmed, the Saints boss said: “Even coming through our Academy system, Henry had a big reputation, and he’s more than backed that up – not just in his performances, but more importantly in his attitude.
“He’s clearly highly skilled and incredibly fit, but he works relentlessly and is always pushing himself to get better. We’re delighted to keep a character like him within our environment.
“Henry’s trajectory through our Academy system is also testament to the great work that Mark Hopley and the rest of that team put into discovering and producing young, talented players. He is the perfect example of our Academy working.
“The Henry that people see on the field on a matchday, the high-intensity style of play, that’s exactly how he trains. He drives energy within the group throughout the week. He’s ambitious and driven, and while Henry’s got a big personality, he’s got none of the negative ego that might come with the kind of external attention he’s already generated.
“There’s no doubt that he’s one of the best young prospects in the league, but Henry has really shown us that he’s committed to hard work and to self-improvement, so we’re excited to see how far he can go.”