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Bordeaux players mock 'unbearable' Henry Pollock in post-match party photos

Henry Pollock remonstrates with officals after the final whistle.

Photos have emerged of Bordeaux-Bègles players mocking Northampton back-row Henry Pollock in their post-match changing room celebrations following Saturday’s 28–20 Champions Cup final victory in Cardiff.

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The 20-year-old England rookie was at the centre of a fracas immediately after the final whistle at the Principality Stadium, with Pollock seen tussling with several UBB players as tempers flared at the end of a tense and physical encounter.

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said Pollock had been left visibly upset after an incident that he suggested involved foul play.

“There was a fracas at the end, there was foul play involved,” said Dowson. “I have been assured that the touch judge has seen it and will deal with it appropriately.

“Henry Pollock was particularly upset by it because I think it was uncalled for and out of order. He reacted, and the officials have told me that they will deal with it.”

Pollock appeared to indicate to officials that he had been grabbed by the throat, though that has not been confirmed by Bordeaux or the match officials.

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Now, further fuel has been added to the controversy after a photo circulated on social media showed a Bordeaux player appearing to imitate Pollock’s now-famous post-try celebration by pressing his fingers to his neck – a mocking reference to Pollock’s gesture after scoring against Leinster in the semi-final, when he said he was checking the ice in his veins.

It wasn’t the only photo either. Star fly-half Matthieu Jalibert and head coach Yannick Bru also mocking Pollock in the post match celerbations in a bar after the game.

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Saints fly-half Fin Smith, one of Pollock’s senior England teammates and best friends, also questioned Bordeaux’s motivation in rowing with Pollock after the final whistle.

“They were after him (Pollock). I don’t think they liked him. He will be alright,” said Smith.

“I remember they (Bordeaux players) all sort of charged at him and were trying to get hold of him.

“I am surprised if you have just won a European Cup, the first thing you want to do is start a fight with a 20-year-old. I felt that was interesting.”

It is unclear whether any disciplinary action will follow the post-match scuffle but it certainly adds to the bad blood now forged between the two European heavyweights.

Pollock – who has been tipped to star for the British & Irish Lions this summer in Australia – played the full 80 minutes at No.8 in what was only his fifth Champions Cup appearance.

Social has been reacting to the incident with Pollock, with many users on X claiming Pollock was got what he deserved, while others pointed out that his antics have been breath of fresh air in game that badly needs more characters.

“Henry Pollock didn’t enjoy getting punched in the throat after full time but in fairness he instigated it,” wrote one X user. “He’s exactly the type of character rugby needs right now. He’ll be a superstar by the time the Lions series is finished.”

“Bit of a Pollock fanboy here (in the wider context of the game) but imagine being a 20 year old novice knowing you’d triggered a reaction from the European Champions like this,” said another. “If nothing else, the run up to the next World Cup will be interesting.”

Another fan wrote: “Henry pollock will quickly learn that in big boys rugby you will always b a target if you say things or over celebrate or show any personality. However anybody who thinks he was poor yesterday or froze needs to watch game again. He was xcellent in adversity, showed massive ticker.”

In fact before the game with was clear that Pollock was a key target for Bordeaux who wanted to shutdown the threat posed by the young English tyro. Former President of FC Girondins de Bordeaux and now UBB fan Jean Louis Triaud: “There’s this talented kid in Northampton, Henry Pollock. He’s a real pain in the ass… He’s unbearable! The fact that he’s English makes things worse. It would bother me even more if UBB lost because of him.”

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Comments

78 Comments
J
JW 42 days ago

That’s flattery, they’re also just checking the ice in their veins lol

m
mJ 43 days ago

He started it and then had a whinge when he got a reaction. It’s not football he needs to remember.

R
RedWarrior 43 days ago

‘Pollock ran to the ref holding his throat, but the ref thought it was the ‘Pulse’ gesture all over again’

E
Ed the Duck 43 days ago

Not bad tbf. Now, any update on your World Rugby board meeting and the top of the agenda debate on bench splits yet?

I
IkeaBoy 43 days ago

Quite brilliant.

G
GrahamVF 43 days ago

The French are perennial whiners and losers. We wuz robbed. And even when they win they just don’t get it. Glad they don’t tour. Nobody deserved the full French front on, with all their bull-s-i—. A combination of sour grapes and ungracious behaviour. Rugby can do without the French. The 20year old is twice the player of any 20year old Frenchman.

S
Soliloquin 42 days ago

No sour grapes in here 🙄

G
Guy 43 days ago

Rugby can especially do without some Grahams. 😆

R
RedWarrior 43 days ago

Are you saying Pollock is twice the player of 6N player of the year Louis Bialle Biarray?


Sounds like the sour grapes is all on your part. French are a great rugby nation. (Please don’t bore us to death by wheeling out your South Africa stats).

R
RedWarrior 43 days ago

Northampton had this coming. Honestly, they have been taking the p1ss.

In the tunnel before the Leinster match they all lined up facing the Leinster players instead of facing straight ahead. That could have turned into a serious fracas but Leinster ignored them. After the final whistle in Dublin Dingwall cupped his hands to both his ears to mock Leinster supporters.


Northampton TV showed videos of players being extremely disrespectful to Leinster players before that match and manager Dowson continued in this vein after the final whistle. Northampton must have decided this tactic could be replicated against Bordeaux. This was dumb as p1gsh1t. The last thing an English team should do ahead of facing a French was insult them. In thsi case a few NH players called Bordeaux players mercenaries. NH needed Bordeaux to have lapses and getting their backs up ensured they wouldn’t. So when Jalibert had a word with Dingwall and then Pollock ran in it was always going to end one way. Pollock has humiliated two French teams with antics already this year. Castres and Clermont were Bordeaux supporters yesterday.

There is etiquette of respect written into world rugby laws. All clubs must have that ethos. If every team behaves like Northampton then rugby goes into disrepute.

Now maybe their antics with Leinster helped there, but it didnt get them a Champions Cup.

As foe Pollock. A £53k per annum education can help with learning. But English publis schools have a disgusting reputation for the most horrible supremacist English bigotry. Wasn’t suprised to see two darker skinned men first in to sort when he started his toys out of pram antics. Ill say no more.

Northampton demanding a sanction for a French player is stupid and sore losing at its worst. Bordeaux were the better team, but utter disrespect meant there was going to be no repeat of the shock semi final win.

H
Harps r Us 43 days ago

Believe me, Leinster will be waiting for them next season.

E
Ed the Duck 43 days ago

So what you’re really saying here is that Leinster were spooked by Saints unsaintly behaviour but Bordeaux weren’t?

D
DP 43 days ago

Itoje and Pollock have modelled their games on being nouses. Itoje picked to be a Lions captain. Go figure…

R
RedWarrior 43 days ago

Schmidt will dissect both. Pollock does sneaky fouls off ball. He is a potential penalty machine.

G
GrahamVF 43 days ago

Pollock reminds me of Bobby Skinstadt - someone you would not know anything about.

I
IkeaBoy 43 days ago

Seemingly the top public schools in the land can't prepare you for every walk of life.


Lions callup will help him. Farrell will either coach it or beat it out of him.


Brat.

G
GrahamVF 43 days ago

I went to Grey High - the same school that produced Graeme Pollock and Siya Kolisi. In SA terms and world terms Grey High is not a very expensive or elitist school but we managed to produce some very exceptional people - because of a simple acceptance of a guideline. It takes the belief that the collective is greater than the individual.

G
Guy 43 days ago

It just shows how unbearable is this kid. You can be 20 years old and not be an idiot

J
J Marc 43 days ago

I watch the game to see him play among others and I, especially saw Coles . After a tenth article about Pollock, who, unlike U2, found what he was he looking for, maybe a deserved article for Coles ?

J
Jacque 42 days ago

TOTALLY AGREE!!

I
IkeaBoy 43 days ago

And maybe an article today? On a Sunday Bloody Sunday.

E
Ed the Duck 43 days ago

This was an opportunity for HP to show that he had stepped up a level. Not in terms of his play, he was excellent, but this moment was always coming and it would have spoken volumes if he had handled things in a manner that said he was big enough to take it and not be ruffled. Other similar circumstances will follow, particularly now, and you’d like to think he will be better advised on how to deal with matters.

J
JW 42 days ago

You just mean like take it like a man and not cry?

T
Tom 43 days ago

Yeah he really set himself up for failure, so many fans were waiting for this moment to see him taken down a peg. I think the Saints management should have put an arm round him and told him to tone it down. You can play with arrogance and self expression without needing the silly try celebrations etc. He's good enough that he can let his rugby do the talking, I hope he bounces back from this quickly.

T
Timmyboy 43 days ago

The fact he receives so much hate shows how good he is.

It’s a compliment to be under so many peoples skin, and only 20 years old.

J
Jacque 42 days ago

Or maybe he’ a just too ARROGANT & PEOPLE don’t like that?

R
RedWarrior 43 days ago

The fact that he is good gives him the platform only. Its the arrogance that people detest.

M
Mephisto innit 43 days ago

I can’t remember Wilkinson or Dallaglio receiving that kind of “hate”. Or Lomu.

Or Dupont.

But you’re right, they must be terrible players.

Just remind me what exactly he has accomplished so far in a distinctly average team in a very average national championship. And don’t tell me about those tries against Wales, my nan would have scored them too.

I
IkeaBoy 43 days ago

How???? He was woeful at 8.

He needed jersey pulls for his line breaks.


He ran his mouth off after the whistle and cried foul when challenged on it.


The bad man tried to hurt me…


Plum.

S
Soliloquin 43 days ago

LBB is only a year older, shows how good he is and doesn’t need to hold an arrogant attitude to get recognition 🤔

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A
AllyOz 11 minutes ago
Has Quade Cooper solved a Lions riddle for Australia?

I also think that the lack of layers in the Australian system and the short season length also contributes to our lack of player development. All of the “three amigos” were in the Australian side from a very early age. We have Super Rugby but it is only 15 weeks long now (if you don’t make the finals - which our sides don’t typically do). And we only have 4 - 5 teams so, for 10s, there is only 1 or 2 spots up for grabs and one player is going to get most of the time. I imagine, in Europe where you have a longer season and then European Championship and then, in France, also a professional division below, a player of ability will get more than 15 games at the top level. There are tiers to progress through etc. The current 10 for France, on the All Blacks tour, has had 120 Top 14 games - we are putting blokes into a Wallabies squad after one or two good seasons (30 SR games at the most) and for others, like Sua’ali’i even sooner (but he did play at a high level in another code so he has had some time to develop).


We lack a tier or level, where players can develop that other comps have so that (1) they don’t need to be thrown in early (2) if they take a bit longer to develop there is a place for them to do it. You either have a place in one of the 4 (previously 5) sides or you go overseas, or you play at an amateur level. And also, you don’t have to push an older player out because, if you reach 24 or 25 and you haven’t made the Wallabies (or you aren’t a regular) then the prospect of playing OS is too financially enticing.

109 Go to comments
A
AllyOz 44 minutes ago
Has Quade Cooper solved a Lions riddle for Australia?

Quade has a lot of very supportive fans, and also, in Australia (and definitely in NZ), there are those that do not like him as a player. I do think his coaches were responsible for him not getting a run when he was at his peak, Cheika didn’t appear to be a fan, giving him only one pool game in the World Cup (or very few chances anyway) but I think Quade also must have had issues in fitting in with coaches (or certain types of coaches). I also think there was a long period of his career where he played injured and was off his best. And he sat out a full season of SR to play club rugby rather than leave Queensland, when he fell out of favour with Thorn. He didn’t seem to settle in at Toulon, or the Melbourne Rebels really either and then he went to Kintetsu where he was in a team that was either bottom of the top grade or top of the next grade down, where, I imagine, it is difficult to get a feel of a players value to the national team. There are two (or more) sides to everyone of those stories.


I was in the group that probably was never a fan. I can’t really say why. When I look back on his highlight reel, there were moments of sheer brilliance and he took the Reds to a Championship win against the Crusader. But I guess I always viewed him as high risk and I am not sure that, prior to 2021, we ever saw his best. We had Foley as a long term 10 under Cheika, and also Matt Toomua and Christian Leilafano. Quade Cooper was easily the most skilful of any of those, but whether or not his own judgement or his ability/willingness to follow the coaches/teams plan was ever at the level of some of those other players, I am not sure. In some way I see him as a Finn Russell type, who doesn’t always appear to get along with some coaches but I am not sure it is always the coaches fault. I think Quade had the confidence that, if he thought he was right he would not be deterred from following that and I imagine some coaches (and not just bad ones) struggle with that if they are seeing different pictures from where they are watching.


I think he makes some good points. I really don’t understand the reluctance to pick James O’Connor and I think he makes a good point about changing coaches. I agree that there is a sameness to each of the 10s we have at the moment.


However, if we are talking about the last decade, we did have Michael Cheika as the coach from late 2014 to 2019 - so that is half the decade. Since then we have had 3 coaches in 6 years.


I do understand the charge about having lost our playing identity and I think he is right that we have perhaps fallen for the trick of trying to jump on the latest trend or copying what has been successful elsewhere and hoping that it works for us. But I am not sure how he personally would go as a coach. I see a bit of a similarity to Gregor Townsend personality wise but that is just a guess - Gregor has done OK.


I hope Quade doesn’t become the David Campese of his generation and getting involved in coaching might be a way to avoid that. It is interesting that he has written these articles in the Australian as they have been a bit anti-Rugby in Australia after they missed out on the broadcast rights.

109 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Ben Kay: 'The return of Owen Farrell will ruffle feathers, but not amongst the players. He drives standards.' Ben Kay: 'The return of Owen Farrell will ruffle feathers, but not amongst the players. He drives standards.'
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