Henry Pollock has insisted he is unfazed by criticism from South Africa, declaring he will let his performances on the pitch do the talking as England prepare for a three-Test series against the Springboks this summer.
Pollock Responds to Critics
Pollock produced a man-of-the-match display for Northampton Saints in their Premiership Rugby final victory over Exeter Chiefs on Saturday, a performance that served as a timely reminder of his talents. The young flanker has previously attracted attention for his confrontational style, drawing criticism from some South African quarters.
“People can talk all they want,” Pollock said after the final. “I have always said in my career, I don’t listen to outside noise, I don’t listen to people’s opinion. I am very much locked into my role and my team, and what I need to do for the team and the coaches. And you can have all these opinions about me, and everything like that, but I am just trying to focus on what I do.”
“At the end of the day, it’s white noise. It doesn’t matter to me, it doesn’t go into my brain. We’ll win trophies, I guess.”
World Cup-winning Springbok flanker Schalk Burger had previously dismissed Pollock, saying: “He’s a TikTok dancer or whatever he is and he plays a bit of rugby on the weekend.” Pollock, however, remains unfazed. “Er, no,” he said when asked if he understood why South Africans had taken a dislike to him. “They can talk all they want. I guess I keep showing up.”
“I’m relishing them massively. We’ve got three big, big Test matches. Obviously the Six Nations didn’t go our way and we are still hurting from that a little bit. There is no bigger challenge than going to South Africa and playing away at altitude in one of the biggest stadiums in the world. Those are the things you dream of.”
Springboks Stars Join Barbarians for Wales Clash
Meanwhile, Wales will face two more Rugby World Cup winners next weekend after the Barbarians confirmed the additions of South Africa scrum-half Faf de Klerk and prop Vincent Koch to their squad. The pair will join the famous invitational side for Saturday's match against Wales at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, after being overlooked for South Africa's Nations Championship campaign.
De Klerk and Koch, both key figures in South Africa's back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, have been drafted into the Barbarians squad assembled by New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson. The additions mean Wales will face even more international firepower as they continue preparations under head coach Steve Tandy.
De Klerk was in action for the Springboks against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday, coming off the bench and scoring a try in South Africa's emphatic 80-31 victory. Speaking after confirming the arrivals, Robertson said: "It's great to add Faf and Vincent for the Wales week. They are both great players with heaps of quality and experience, but most importantly, they are good men who will embrace all of the values the Barbarians stand for."
The Barbarians have also strengthened their pack with the addition of Australia international Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who impressed for Queensland Reds during the recent Super Rugby campaign.
France Squad Announced Without Several Stars
Fabien Galthié has named a 39-man provisional France squad for the Nations Championship, with several high-profile players omitted. The headline inclusion is Damian Penaud, France's all-time leading try-scorer, who returns after missing the Six Nations campaign. Penaud scored 11 tries in 29 games for Bordeaux this season.
The most notable absentee is Louis Bielle-Biarrey, who has been rested ahead of the autumn internationals. Antoine Dupont and Thomas Ramos are also set to be rested, and no Toulouse players have been selected due to the club's involvement in the Top 14 final. The final squad will be confirmed on Wednesday.
