British and Irish Lions squad: One-Test wonderkid Henry Pollock selected, Maro Itoje named captain amid surprise snubbings
Wallabies’ fans may not know the name of the Lions’ 20-year-old shock selection for the upcoming Australian tour, but given his reputation, they soon will once he arrives Down Under.
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ONE-TEST wonderkid Henry Pollock has been named in the British & Irish Lions series and by the time the tour is over, the world will know his name.
He’s had just 31 minutes of Test rugby, is the youngest member of the Lions squad, and he won’t be afraid to bait Aussie fans.
Already a superstar in the UK courtesy of his feats for Northampton, 20-year-old Pollock is seen by many as a generational talent.
A powerful backrower with extraordinary pace, he can score chip-and-regather tries just as well as he can turn over opposition ball at the ruck.
He captained the England under-20s to the World Cup title last year, and has just led Northampton to the Champions Cup final against Bordeaux.
In his Test debut, Pollock came off the bench in the 49th minute to score two tries for England in their 68-14 demolition of Wales in the final round of the Six Nations.
Pollock has also earned a reputation as a loudmouth, relishing in gesturing to rival supporters, celebrating tries with extra exuberance, and telling off his more senior teammates.
“Probably some of the boys were quite shocked with how I was when I first joined up with England,” Pollock recently told BBC Radio.
“But I guess over time they realised ‘this is just him’.
“I am quite loud, someone that just brings a different type of energy to other types of players. Whether that is good or bad energy depends who you are talking to.”
The youngster is already looking at the bigger picture.
“I want to entertain and get the crowd as close as possible to the team,” Pollock said.
“When I was growing up there, there was a lack of idols. There were one or two that stick in my mind - Courtney Lawes, Michael Hooper, Richie McCaw - but not many.
“For this game to grow and this sport to get bigger, we need more characters, more players the fans want to come and watch.
“If you look to the football world, fans very much have their players and the personalities they like.”
Pollock’s inclusion in Andy Farrell’s Lions squad comes at the expense of more experienced England teammates Jack Willis, Tom Willis and Tom Curry, as well as former Wallaby-turned-Scot Jack Dempsey.
Ireland captain and No.8 Caelan Doris was ruled out of the tour with injury, leaving Maro Itoje as the natural choice to skipper the Lions Down Under.
Jack Willis’ omission was viewed as the biggest shock in the squad announcement in the UK, given his superb form for Toulouse this season.
That is followed by the non-selection of Irish playmaker Sam Prendergast, who has come through the Test arena under Farrell’s guidance, and Farrell’s own son Owen.
While Owen Farrell was considered a longshot given he hasn’t played Test rugby since the 2023 World Cup, and has been hampered by injuries this season, some believed the coach would pick him given his experience and the unimpressive displays of the No.10s across the Six Nations.
But Farrell has stuck with Scotland’s Finn Russell, and English duo Fin Smith and Marcus Smith – who can also cover fullback.
None of the trio lit up the Six Nations, and this is Australia’s best opportunity to expose weakness in an otherwise mighty squad.
Australian-born Sione Tuipulotu and Mack Hansen have been named in the Lions backline - as many Aussies in the squad as Welsh players.
Backrower Jac Morgan and halfback Tomos Williams are their only representatives, little surprise given Wales has lost 17 Tests in succession since the World Cup.
While Tuipulotu’s vicious battle with Wallabies star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on last year’s spring tour makes for a riveting rematch, the 28-year-old former Melbourne Rebel missed the entire 2025 Six Nations with injury.
Prior to that, Russell and Tuipulotu were raging favourites to form the 10-12 Lions combination, and probably still will now they’ve been selected.
But Russell’s hot-and-cold form, and Tuipulotu’s inactivity, presents the Wallabies with a target.
Australia will start as huge underdogs against this Lions squad, one of the best ever picked based on talent, depth, and a record of winning big Test matches over the past four years.
They have one of the world’s best halfbacks in Jamison Gibson-Park, line-breaking freaks in Duhan van der Merwe and Garry Ringrose, towering lineout kings in Itoje and Tadhg Beirne, and an imposing array of front rowers that will fancy themselves in every scrum.
And a young upstart who may just leave Australian shores a hero and a villain.
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Originally published as British and Irish Lions squad: One-Test wonderkid Henry Pollock selected, Maro Itoje named captain amid surprise snubbings
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