- Northampton booked their place in the Champions Cup semis with a big win
- England flanker Pollock delivered another star performance as his stock rises
- George Furbank marked his return from injury with two assists and a try
Last May, when Northampton played Leinster at Croke Park, Henry Pollock flew out to Dublin at 6am with his academy housemates for what he described as an ‘all-day bender’.
Most of them did not earn enough to fork out on expensive hotels, so they headed to Temple Bar, watched the match and drank Guinness until they flew home at 6am the following morning.
How times have changed. Northampton have booked a re-match against the Irish heavyweights in three weeks’ time and Pollock is now front and centre of the team’s crusade.
He scored twice as Northampton blew-out Castres in this quarter-final, playing his way deeper into Franklin’s Garden hearts, where kids now turn up to games wearing his trademark head tape.
‘How good’s that? Bring on Leinster away,’ said the 20-year-old flanker. ‘Last year I went down there on a piss-up. It’s been a whirlwind.’
Few players in English rugby have generated as much hype in their breakthrough season as the youngster, who broke through the defence with a hitch-kick to score his first try.
He is oozing confidence and when he scored his second, roaming the pitch like an outside back, he shot the ball into the crowd like a basket-baller.
For opponents, Pollock is becoming a nightmare. Just ask Remy Baget and Lois Guerois-Galisson, who were both sin-binned as he got under their skin. As far as Andy Farrell is concerned, the high-flying forward should be top of the queue for his bolter slot on this summer’s Lions tour.
Northampton’s Henry Pollock breaks clear to score their fifth try at Franklin’s Gardens
Pollock’s stock is rising every week as he enjoys a breakthrough season for club and country
England full-back Furbank impressed on his return from injury with two assists and one try
It was going to take something special to upstage George Furbank’s comeback display but Pollock has a neck for making headlines. After 119 days on the side-lines with a broken arm, it took Furbank approximately 119 seconds to remind club and country what they have been missing.
The plan was for Northampton to reintroduce their captain in the final quarter, but everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. George Hendy took a high shot in the third minute and Furbank was called into action earlier than expected.
He ended the day with two assists and a try, galvanising Northampton’s attack, offering a second pair of play-making hands outside the ever-reliable Fin Smith.
Two minutes after chucking off his yellow replacement’s bib, Furbank made a dart down the right wing, scooping a one-handed offload for Tommy Freeman to score.
Not long after Freeman’s opening try, Furbank was at it again. Another attacking position, another assist. He spotted space behind Castres’ defensive line and threaded through a grubber kick for Curtis Langdon to score.
As Northampton’s players arrived at Franklin’s Gardens, one fan stood outside the gates holding a banner. ‘Dublin hotel is booked!’ it read. You sense he will not be travelling over to Ireland with such confidence, facing a team with an aggregate score of 114-0 in their last two European games.
Tommy Freeman scored the opening try of the afternoon as he continues his prolific campaign
Playmaker Fin Smith helped ensure England have one club remaining in the Champions Cup
It is rare for the English to be favourite in a club duel with the French but Castres are not one of the heavyweights. It is a town of just 42,000 – one sixth the population of Northampton – and this was their first time in the quarter finals for 23 years.
Yet they still boast All Black Jack Goodhue and Fijian Leone Nakarawa among their ranks, with scrum-half Jeremy Fernandez responding with a try on their first foray into Northampton’s 22. But Nakarawa was sin-binned and Alex Coles capitalised with a lineout score.
Both teams exchanged three pointers but Saints prefer to play with ball in hand. After a brace of Fernandez penalties, Furbank took a short ball off Alex Mitchell, crashing over for his side’s fourth try. He followed it up with a try-saving tackle on giant No 8 Abraham Papalii, before concerningly leaving the pitch with ice on his forearm.
But Pollock’s double had the crowd on their feet, before Tom Pearson rounded off the rout.
