"What a ****" - New Zealand launch scathing attack on Henry Pollock

England roared back from conceding 12 early points to claim only their ninth win over New Zealand in 120 years, sealing what many are calling the defining triumph of Steve Borthwick’s three-year reign.

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In front of a raucous Allianz Stadium crowd, England delivered four tries and a statement 33–19 win — the first real litmus test of their progress after nine straight victories against lesser opposition.

And, as ever, Pollock found himself right at the heart of the drama.

Social media was swiftly ablaze, with Kiwi supporters venting their fury:

One fan fumed: 

Another blasted: “Pollock you’re good but you’re such an annoying twat. Suppose rugby needs all types of characters.”

A third wrote: “Henry Pollock. What a twat, what was that during the haka?!”

Another added: “England were pretty impressive. Came back from nil down. If it wasn’t for Pollock’s antics, you could actually like them.”

But while some supporters were seething, others absolutely loved every second of the flanker’s mischief.

An England fan hit back: “To all the Pollock haters, hope you enjoyed him setting up the winning try.”

Another said: “Pollock is such a prick! Absolute prick! But he’s our prick.”

A third chimed in: “Rather enjoyed that. Pollock makes me smile inside.”

And one amused supporter simply marvelled: “The Pollock comments on here…”

Whether you call him a menace or a master of chaos, one thing is certain: Henry Pollock once again stole the show — and everybody’s talking about him.

Yet despite the triumph, England’s line-out faltered badly throughout, leaving several starters under scrutiny for their performances.

Itoje endured a rare off-day at the line-out, with New Zealand repeatedly targeting England’s calls and disrupting their platform. While his general work rate and impact around the park remained strong, two penalties and his role in the set-piece collapse overshadowed an otherwise solid outing.

Despite the criticism, Itoje remains indispensable — Steve Borthwick won’t be looking beyond his captain any time soon.

Mail Online: " Bright orange boots but New Zealand targeted England at the line-out. Not one of his stand-out performances but won’t care a jot after huge win."

Telegraph: "Like George, it is hard to look past how much of a calamity the line-out was and Itoje was twice pinged. Spoilt an otherwise excellent performance."

Replacement: None — Itoje is irreplaceable and should remain in place.

Telegraph 3, Rugby Pass 5, London Evening Standard 6, Mail Online 4, Planet Rugby 5

England’s line-out woes fell heavily on Jamie George, whose three misfires in the first half set the tone for a malfunctioning set piece. Although he held up well in the scrum, the hooker struggled to settle into the game and was withdrawn early in the second half.

With multiple outlets pointing to the line-out “implosion,” George’s display will go down as one of his more forgettable outings in an England shirt.

Mail Online: "Three first-half line-out throws couldn’t find their targets and it summed up a day that wasn’t one of his best. Substituted early in the second half."

LES: "England’s line-out struggled and they lost three of their five in the first half. Taken off early after the break."

Telegraph: "The line-out is a multi-man operation, but it is the hooker’s responsibility and thus George shoulders blame for its complete implosion."

Planet Rugby: " Limped off early into the second half. Oddly struggled in the lineout, and struggled to keep pace with the game. Not his finest outing."

Rugby Pass: "Three first-half lineout disasters was a poor return for the experienced hooker, who had more success in the middle of the solid front row at scrum-time, but not his finest performance for his country."

Replacement: Luke Cowan-Dickie steadied things off the bench

Steward’s brief 22-minute stint before departing for an HIA was a mixed one. He took one outstanding high ball, but also produced a poor kick and was caught out defensively for New Zealand’s opening try.

Those flashes of uncertainty proved costly, and England looked more fluid with Marcus Smith stepping in at fullback.

Express: "Some very good mixed in with two howlers before first half HIA failure"

Telegraph: "A mixed bag in his 22 minutes. Claimed one superb up and under but also produced a rogue kick and caught out of position for the All Blacks’ first try."

FloRugby: "This match exposed some structural limitations in Steward’s attacking game. While he remained steady under the high ball, his lack of creativity disrupted England’s backfield flow. Too many possessions stalled through him, leaving questions about his long-term fit."

Replacement: Marcus Smith finally seems at home at fullback. England looked much better when he replaced Steward.

From stunning tries to unforgettable moments—and yes, some hairstyles we’d rather forget—these players were at the heart of rugby’s golden era. If the names don’t come flooding back, it might be time to fire up YouTube and relive the magic.

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