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Eddie Hearn’s ambitious vision for Henry Pollock appears to be taking shape already as he looks to catapult the young rugby star’s life into a different stratosphere.
The Matchroom talent agency boss wasn’t simply signing one of England’s brightest young rugby players when he made the big announcement back in March, he was backing someone he believes can take rugby union beyond its traditional audience and into the mainstream.
Fast forward to this summer and Pollock is living the superstar lifestyle he no doubt dreamed about after flying to the French Riviera on a private jet and partying with Hearn, other Matchroom bigwigs and Scotland international Finn Russell, who has also been signed by the agency.
Fresh from an impressive campaign with Northampton Saints and England, the 20-year-old has been documenting a glamorous summer in the south of France. His latest Instagram posts show him soaking up life in Cannes, enjoying luxury surroundings and spending time with some of the biggest names connected to Matchroom as he unwinds after a long season.
It is a rare sight among rugby players. The sport has long prided itself on humility, with players often shying away from the celebrity culture embraced in other sports. Pollock, however, appears comfortable in that world, with his confidence and personality making him one of the game’s most recognisable young faces both on and off the pitch.
That is precisely why Hearn moved to make him the first rugby player signed to the newly-launched Matchroom Talent agency, after years promoting some of the biggest boxing stars in the world.
The promoter has spoken openly about rugby’s failure to properly market its biggest stars and believes Pollock has all the ingredients to change that.
When announcing the signing, Hearn described Pollock as a player with limitless potential whose appeal extends well beyond what he does on a rugby field. His aim, he said, is to help build Pollock into a household name while ensuring his rugby remains the priority.
Pollock’s profile has exploded over the past 12 months following a stunning rise through the game. After establishing himself as one of Northampton Saints’ standout performers, he broke into Steve Borthwick’s England squad before earning selection for the British & Irish Lions, cementing his place as one of the most exciting young players in world rugby.
His remarkable confidence, unique personality and growing social media following have certainly made him one of the most marketable figures in the sport, even if he has become public enemy number one among supporters of some rival nations.
Pollock is no longer the only rugby player on the agency’s books. Scotland and Bath fly-half Russell also signed with Matchroom earlier this year, with Hearn describing him as the “Lionel Messi of rugby”.
Russell joined Pollock and Hearn in France, shortly after getting married in Scotland and honeymooning in Greece. A post from Matchroom showed the rugby stars with Matchroom deal-makers, with the caption “Big meetings”. Other images show Pollock and Hearn partying on a plush yacht, enjoying boat trips and generally living the superstar dream.
The England star’s rising profile has seen him become a target among opponents, with his exuberant demeanour not sitting well with some amid something of an ongoing backlash.
The 21-year-old was told he was “public enemy number one” by a stranger in his South African hotel during England’s visit earlier this month, while he has been consistently booed by supporters, confronted by rivals and criticised by opposition pundits.
Springboks legend Schalk Burger recently described hima s a “TikTok dancer who plays a bit of rugby on the side”, while legendary number eight Duane Vermeulen previously admitted he would love to come out of retirement for a brief stint just to face Pollock.
A church service outside of Pretoria ahead of the Springboks v England match this summer was even dedicated to Pollock.
“How many of you are looking forward to the Boks playing England? Raise your hands!” asked the pastor to his congregation, many of whom were wearing Springbok jerseys.
“Keep your hands raised if you are looking forward to it because you want to see that young chap, Henry Pollock. You know who he is. I want to say bimbo… but I’m not going to say bimbo. That cocky guy.
“We just want to see Jasper Wiese go and smoke him! He needs to be taught a lesson!”
Team-mate George Furbank said of Pollock being targeted: “Every time we’ve spoken about the opposition hating him, he seems to go out and perform.
“I genuinely think it doesn’t actually bother him. I don’t know how because if that was me, I would be a little bit different.”
