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Eddie Hearn has told Northampton Saints they must make Henry Pollock a £1million-a-year player or risk losing English rugby’s biggest rising star
Eddie Hearn has publicly warned Northampton Saints they must make Henry Pollock a “seven-figure player” if they want to keep hold of one of English rugby’s brightest stars.
The boxing promoter, who manages Pollock through his Matchroom Talent Agency, believes the England back-row has become far more valuable than his reported £150,000-a-year club contract reflects and says the Premiership champions must recognise his commercial worth.
Pollock, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign for both Northampton and England, is under contract until the end of next season and is expected to enter crucial negotiations over a new deal.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Hearn insisted the 21-year-old has become one of rugby’s biggest commercial attractions and claimed Northampton cannot expect to keep him on his current salary.
“Northampton have to recognise what they have got,” Hearn said. “Henry Pollock drives season ticket sales. Henry Pollock puts bums on the seats. Henry Pollock drives viewership. Henry Pollock sells shirts.
“So you can actually put an economic value over having Henry Pollock on the team, and that has to be recognised. He cannot stay at this club on the money that he’s on.”
Hearn went even further by arguing Pollock should now be earning more than £1million a year when his commercial value is taken into account.
“He’s certainly a seven-figure player,” Hearn added. “When I look at other players that are on those kind of numbers, Henry’s commercial value is on another stratosphere to them.”
Despite the public pressure, Hearn stressed Pollock’s preference is to remain at Franklin’s Gardens.
The Matchroom chief revealed he asked the flanker directly whether he wanted to stay with Northampton, with the answer leaving little room for doubt.
“The first thing I said to Henry was: ‘Do you want to stay at Northampton?’
“And he said, ‘Yes. I love the club, I love the team, I love that I live 10 minutes away, and I think we’re going to win the championship again next year and I want to win championships.’
“I told him he could get 10 times more money to go elsewhere but he said he really did not want to move if he can help it.”
Hearn also confirmed Northampton have already made an opening contract offer, although he believes it falls well short of reflecting Pollock’s market value.
The promoter added that several major commercial partnerships for Pollock are due to be announced over the coming weeks, claiming the England international’s off-field earnings are already worth around five times his current club salary.
The situation presents Northampton with a significant challenge given Premiership Rugby’s salary cap rules. Each club is permitted only one marquee player whose wages sit outside the £6.4million salary cap, with England fly-half Fin Smith widely expected to occupy that position at Saints.
Hearn believes rugby’s financial landscape could soon change dramatically, however, particularly if new investment enters the sport, and warned Northampton against tying Pollock to a long-term contract that could quickly become outdated.
Pollock has emerged as one of the faces of English rugby over the last year, with Hearn also revealing the pair are working on a long-term commercial strategy centred around next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
“He wants to win the World Cup, he wants to win championships with Northampton and he wants to win a gold medal for Great Britain Sevens in the Olympics,” Hearn said. “He’s got an incredible future ahead.”
