England flanker Henry Pollock kicks off huge brawl, three players get yellow carded

Sunday, 13 April 2025 at 10:05

byRugby Rucker

England flanker Henry Pollock stole the spotlight once more as Northampton Saints stormed past Castres to book their place in the Champions Cup semi-finals.

The 20-year-old sensation bagged two second-half tries in a brilliant all-round display, strengthening his case for a spot on the British & Irish Lions tour next year. After dotting down his second, the back-rower turned to the crowd and threw an imaginary basketball shot in celebration — oozing confidence and charisma in front of a packed-out Franklin’s Gardens.

Saints set up spicy Leinster rematch

It was a comfortable afternoon for Phil Dowson’s side, who ran out 40-14 winners to set up a blockbuster rematch with Leinster.

The Irish giants crushed Glasgow Warriors on Friday night and now await Saints in the last four — a repeat of last year’s semi-final when Leinster narrowly edged it.

With four Champions Cup titles under their belt, Leinster will be firm favourites to reach a fourth straight final, but Northampton are riding a serious wave of momentum.

Speaking after the game, Pollock made it clear: Saints aren’t just there to make up the numbers. “We’ve got a point to prove,” he said.

– and his picks are bound to raise a few eyebrows.

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Chaos in the 53rd minute – triple yellow drama

Things got feisty just past the 50-minute mark when winger Martin Boget flew recklessly into Pollock. That sparked a messy scuffle involving Castres prop Tichit Galisson, who pinned the flanker to the turf.

Enter Temo Mayanavanua, who raced in to defend his teammate, and suddenly all hell broke loose.

After a lengthy TMO review, Italian referee Andrea Piardi wasn’t messing about — sending all three players to the sin-bin. The game lost none of its edge, but Saints kept their cool and saw things out in style.

Jared Wright

@jaredwright17

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🟨 YELLOW CARD SCENES! THREE AT ONCE! Andrea Piardi was having none of that! #NORvCAS

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6:11 PM · Apr 12, 2025

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Dan Biggar names bold Lions XV – with big England omissions

Wales legend Dan Biggar has officially called time on his playing career, but not before dropping a blockbuster British & Irish Lions XV on The Rugby Pod

The 112-cap fly-half, who steered Wales through some of their finest Six Nations and World Cup moments, appeared on Jim Hamilton’s podcast this week and revealed his Lions dream team. Spoiler alert: there's no room for the likes of Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton, or even himself.

Here’s how Biggar’s team shaped up…

Front-row firepower: Porter, Sheehan & Furlong

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong

It’s an all-Irish affair in the front row, with Biggar backing Leinster's dominant trio to boss the scrum. Furlong remains the Rolls-Royce of tightheads, while Sheehan and Porter provide dynamism in the loose.

Big boys in the boiler room: Itoje & Beirne

4. Maro Itoje
5. Tadhg Beirne

England’s Maro Itoje gets the nod despite some inconsistent recent form, with Biggar clearly still valuing his disruptive brilliance. He’s paired with the ever-reliable Beirne – a turnover machine and Lions Test starter in 2021.

Breakdown beasts: Curry, Van Der Flier & Doris (c)

6. Tom Curry
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)

This back row is pure chaos – in the best possible way. England’s Tom Curry returns to the fray, Ireland’s Van der Flier adds World Player of the Year pedigree, and Doris, who’s fast becoming a modern-day great, takes the armband. A fearless choice.

Livewire half-backs: Gibson-Park & Russell

9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Finn Russell

Gone are the days of conservative Lions 9-10 combos. Biggar’s gone full jazz here. Gibson-Park brings the zip, and Russell… well, Russell brings the flair. The Scotland maestro’s creativity earns him the No.10 jersey over Biggar himself – no ego here.

Fire on the flanks: Lowe & Kinghorn

11. James Lowe
14. Blair Kinghorn

Two versatile Scots fill the wing slots, with Kinghorn’s blend of size and speed complementing Lowe’s relentless work rate and booming left boot. Biggar clearly values adaptability out wide – and a bit of flair never hurts.

Caledonian connection in midfield: Tuipulotu & Jones

12. Sione Tuipulotu
13. Huw Jones

The Glasgow Warriors pairing have formed one of the deadliest centre combos in rugby, and Biggar’s kept them together. It’s a bold call, but one based on form and synergy rather than reputation alone.

Rock-solid fullback: Hugo Keenan

15. Hugo Keenan

No surprise here – Keenan has been Ireland’s Mr Consistent, and Biggar trusts him to be the safety net at the back. His positioning, aerial ability and counter-attacks make him a nailed-on pick.

The bench: a mix of muscle and mischief

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Zander Fagerson, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith

It’s a stacked bench with serious impact. Genge and Fagerson bring brute force, while Earl and Morgan cover the back row with pace and punch. Marcus Smith adds some stardust, and Mitchell offers serious tempo at scrum-half.