‘Unbelievable!’ England supporters rage as Henry Pollock misses out on major World Rugby honour

Sunday, 23 November 2025 at 16:09

byRugby Rucker

England rugby supporters are left scratching their heads after Henry Pollock was overlooked for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award, which instead went to New Zealand’s Fabian Holland.

The omission has sparked a wave of surprise and frustration among fans, who had hailed Pollock as one of the most exciting young talents in world rugby this year.

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Pollock, who has been a standout in England’s pack with dominant performances throughout the season, had been widely tipped to feature prominently in the awards.

His dynamic play, consistent impact in crucial games, and ability to change matches from the second row had made him a favorite among supporters and pundits alike.

Fan Reactions

Social media quickly filled with reactions:

“How on earth has Pollock been overlooked?”
“Fabian Holland is class, but Pollock is a generational talent,"
“Every big game Pollock played, he delivered. What more does he need to do to be recognised?”
“Classic — an English player getting ignored despite standout performances. Pollock should’ve been a guaranteed winner.”

The Full List of Winners

While Pollock missed out, the awards saw a strong lineup of talent recognized across the men’s and women’s games:

World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year: Malcolm Marx (South Africa)

World Rugby Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year: Fabian Holland (New Zealand)

International Rugby Players Association Men’s 15s Try of the Year: Santiago Pedrero (Chile v Samoa, RWC 2027 qualifier)

World Rugby Coach of the Year: John Mitchell

On the women’s side:

International Rugby Players Association Women’s 15s Try of the Year: Maia Joseph (New Zealand v Ireland, RWC 2025 pool match)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year 2025: Sophie de Goede (Canada)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year 2025: Braxton Sorensen-McGee (New Zealand)

World Rugby Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year:

ENGLAND PLAYER RATINGS VS ARGENTINA

15 Freddie Steward — 7

As per usual, was imperious in the air and offered a fair bit more elsewhere than is usually the case. Definitely a necessary selection given how much Argentina kicked it and justified his inclusion.

14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — 8

Showed the best of himself in the first half when he made the most of every time that he touched the ball, making up 138 metres with the ball in hand in the first 40 alone. Used his pace to cross the try line after receiving a cross kick from Ojomoh that was well weighted.

13 Henry Slade — 7.5

Made a very good tackle to stop an almost certain Pumas try after an attacker found a great line around 10 metres out. Not too involved beyond that until his 67th minute try that relieved a lot of England pressure after they found themselves only one point in front.

12 Max Ojomoh — 8

Had a very good first half, however he faltered a little bit in the second, like many of his teammates. Ran over for the first try of the match after latching onto a loose ball and sprinting over, before assisting the second with a perfectly weighted kick out to Feyi-Waboso. Assisted the third as well with a very well improvised offload while he was falling to the floor. Will be happy with his performance after being a late inclusion due to Fraser Dingwall's injury.

11 Elliot Daly — 6

Didn't manage to get his hands on the ball as much as he might have liked in his first match since the Lions tour injury. Only real highlight was a pretty simple catch that was dropped. Not at his best.

10 George Ford — 8.5

Showed his incredible game intelligence throughout the match with some unbelievable kicking that helped to open up the Argentina defence on a number of occasions. Was heavily involved in the Feyi-Waboso try with an intelligent switch pass to Ojomoh, for him to kick it over to the eventual try scorer. A missed penalty and drop goal were his only two real blemishes.

9 Ben Spencer — 7.5

Acquitted himself well in terms of box kicking, which was clearly the strategy going into the game. A few involvements defensively adds to what was a solid but slightly unremarkable showing.

1 Ellis Genge — 6.5

It was a pretty even scrum with Genge on the pitch with not much to separate the two sides, which can be considered satisfactory for a loosehead. Made a few runs into contact but didn't show loads beyond that.

2 Luke Cowan-Dickie — 7.5

Showed his experience with some extremely accurate lineout throwing that also included a few short routines to keep the Argentina defence guessing. Powered over for what appeared to be the third try of the game, before TMO ruled that he had knocked it on just before grounding the ball.

3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour — 6.5

A good showing from the youngster who, like Genge, was involved in an even contest at scrum-time. Got his hands on the ball a bit more than his loosehead counterpart and showed glimpses of his agility and ability on the ball when called upon.

4 Maro Itoje — 7

Worked hard as he always does and put himself about in defence and from the lineout. Always a steady presence and while there weren't too many noticeable involvements, his experience helped to carry them through.

5 Alex Coles — 7.5

Impressed throughout with the basics of his position of tackling and breakdown work being done to a very high level, despite one needless penalty conceded for not releasing. While England were under the cosh, his running into contact relieved a lot of pressure.

6 Guy Pepper — 6.5

Worked hard and put himself about in a solid showing that included plenty of tackles and involvements at the breakdown. Unfortunately his last involvement before coming off was giving away a harsh penalty that directly led to three points for Argentina.

7 Sam Underhill — 7

Put in a big defensive shift and like Pepper, worked hard and put himself about, but perhaps didn't have as much of an impact as he might have liked. Will be satisfied with the way that he played in his 50 minutes on the pitch.

8 Ben Earl — 7

Very good off the ball, and while he didn't see the ball as he may have liked, England didn't really need that today as they generally found themselves out of possession. His work was invaluable in keeping Los Pumas penned back.

Replacements

16 Theo Dan — N/A

17 Fin Baxter — 7

18 Will Stuart — 7

19 Charlie Ewels — N/A

20 Tom Curry — 6

Came on just after the 50-minute mark as the game looked to be turning in Argentina's favour. Showed his value off the bench as he worked extremely hard and put himself about, which hugely lifted the side.

21 Henry Pollock — 7

Entered the pitch at the same time as Curry to rapturous applause and turned the tide in England's favour. His energy lifted the side and meant that they didn't sacrifice their lead, which seemed to be under huge threat until he came on. Took the lineout in the buildup to the crucial fourth try.

22 Alex Mitchell — 6.5

23 Marcus Smith — N/A

Quiz: Name these 10 retro rugby players

From jaw-dropping tries to unforgettable moments (and yes, some questionable haircuts), these players defined a golden era of the game. If their names don’t instantly come to mind, we suggest a quick trip to YouTube to jog your memory. Trust us, it’s worth it.

Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s see if you’ve still got it. Good luck!