Wind-up merchant Henry Pollock brilliantly mugged off Wales forward
Rugby NewsSaturday, 15 March 2025 at 23:34
England ran riot with ten tries to smash Wales in a record-breaking Six Nations victory, but their title hopes were dashed as France edged past Scotland later on Super Saturday.
Join RUCK's Instagram broadcast channel and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.
Amid the chaos, Henry Pollock made sure his debut was one to remember—for all the right reasons.
The 19-year-old Northampton Saints back-rower has been tipped as one of England’s brightest young prospects, having starred for the national age-grade teams and impressed in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
A powerful ball-carrier with a knack for turnovers, Pollock’s performances have drawn comparisons to England greats like Tom Curry.
And he wasted no time in making an impact at senior level, getting under Welsh skin from the off. The England debutant cheekily yanked the sock of Gareth Thomas through a ruck, a classic veteran’s trick.
The Wales prop took the bait, responding with a reckless shoulder charge that handed England an easy escape from their 22. Joe Marler would’ve approved.
Veterans trick:
Pollock wasn’t just there for the mind games—he backed it up with two stunning tries. His first, in the 67th minute, saw him glide onto George Ford’s cut-out pass, brush off Joe Roberts, and race towards the posts. Cue absolute limbs in the stands as TV cameras caught his family’s beaming celebrations.
A debut full of sh*thousery and skill—exactly what England fans love to see.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Competition: A chance to roar the Lions on down under
- Six Nations Team of the Week Round 6 – The Best of the Best
- Referee Review: Wales fans unhappy with officials against England
- Wales head coach departs with immediate effect
- England player ratings vs Wales: 2025 Six Nations
England player ratings vs Wales:
1. Ellis Genge – 8
Genge scrummaged his heart out during his hour on the field and schooled the Welsh front row at the set piece. In both attack and defence, he was like a wrecking ball, smashing his way into the home side. Another of the English pack who strengthened his case for a Lions jersey.
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie – 7
He stopped a certain try with a brilliant ankle tap on Blair Murray in the first half. His lineout throws kept England’s main attacking platform functioning smoothly, and overall, his set-piece work was outstanding.
3. Will Stuart – 8
Stuart was a huge thorn in the side of the Welsh front row in the first half. He absolutely dominated his opposite number at scrum time, giving Wales no chance at the put-in. He showed great determination for his try—not only to get over the line but to get into a good position in the first place.
4. Maro Itoje – 8
Itoje led from the front for the Red Roses. It all started with a thundering carry in the opening minutes to set the tone for the visitors. He was a constant threat to the Welsh lineout and disrupted it well. In attack, he ran with venom and matched that intensity in his defensive work.
5. Ollie Chessum – 5
Chessum was forced off just before the 20-minute mark due to injury. In that time, he didn’t make any notable errors but also didn’t have enough game time for a higher rating.
6. Tom Curry – 8
Tom Curry was relentless, working in tandem with his twin brother to grind down the Welsh attack. He put in a fantastic shift for the entirety of the game and never let his foot off the gas. He applied his size and power effectively in attack and, like his brother, will be causing Andy Farrell headaches for the Lions.
7. Ben Curry – 8.5
Ben Curry put in a monstrous shift against Wales and potentially played his way into Lions contention. He bullied Wales at the breakdown, delivered some rib-crunching tackles, and kept England on the front foot. A well-deserved Player of the Match performance.
8. Ben Earl – 7
Earl was surprisingly quiet in a game you’d expect to suit the athletic No. 8. Still, he punished the Welsh on a number of occasions and kept the English pack ticking over nicely.
Backs
9. Alex Mitchell – 7
Mitchell complemented his fly-half partner with a composed, controlling performance. His try was a result of his own hard work, summing up a day where he executed the basics to a high level.
10. Fin Smith – 7
Smith slotted 5/6 off the tee at the Principality Stadium and nearly set up a try with a great cross-field kick in the first half, which almost sent Marcus Smith over. Aside from that, he executed his core skills well and unlocked the Welsh defence with ease.
11. Elliot Daly – 6
Daly provided the most unusual assist of his career with a well-timed header to set up Mitchell’s try. Apart from that, it was a relatively quiet showing from the winger, who was surprisingly starved of opportunities with ball in hand.
12. Fraser Dingwall – 7
Dingwall was a great addition to the visitors attack with the centre offering a great option at second receiver to enable Smith to exploit Wales out wide. In defence he didn’t give up a yard and was more than convincing.
13. Tommy Freeman – 8
Freeman was fantastic in the 45 minutes he was on the field. Every time he touched the ball, it felt like he would find a gap in the Welsh defensive line. He deservedly grabbed a try and put in a wonderful all-round performance.
14. Tom Roebuck – 7
Roebuck was really exciting to watch every time he got the chance to attack. He carved Wales to pieces out wide and topped off a great try for his efforts.
15. Marcus Smith – 6
Marcus Smith was surprisingly lacklustre compared to his usual electric self. A few silly errors snuck into his game which didn’t impact England massively but didn’t cover himself in glory either.
Replacements
16. Jamie George – 6
17. Fin Baxter – 6
18. Joe Heyes – 7
19. Chandler Cunningham-South – 8
Put in a huge shift in the hour he came on and battered Wales to get his two tries.
20. Henry Pollock – 8
Two tries on debut is more than what Pollock would’ve expected but he looked brilliant when he came on.
21. Tom Willis – 7
22. Jack van Poortvliet – 6
23. George Ford – 6
EDITORS PICKS:
- Competition: A chance to roar the Lions on down under in Sydney and Melbourne!
- Peter O’Mahony didn’t hesitate when naming his toughest opponents
- Steve Borthwick confirms the appointment of Joe Marler to England backroom team
- Six Nations bosses make ‘final decision’ on the Springboks joining the tournament
Can you name every England Rugby captain of the professional era?
From the early days of professionalism to the modern era, England has seen a host of legendary captains wearing the armband.
Whether it's the grit of Will Carling in the 90s, the tactical brilliance of Martin Johnson, or the fearless leadership of Owen Farrell, this quiz will challenge even the most dedicated fans.
Think you can name them all? Grab your boots and let's see how well you know the men who led England into battle on the world stage!
TRENDING
LATEST NEWS
LATEST COMMENTS
- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
Loading
