Henry Pollock: England flanker has superstar quality to wake sleeping giant of rugby union so pay him, says Eddie Hearn | Rugby Union News
Eddie Hearn believes Henry Pollock has the superstar status to awaken the sleeping giant that is rugby union, but insists the England and Lions flanker, and his peers, must be rewarded in line with their commercial value.
Pollock has dominated the headlines after his agent Hearn claimed the 21-year-old was deserving of a £1m-a-year contract amid ongoing negotiations with his club Northampton Saints.
Pollock earns a reported £150,000 a year from his current deal, which expires next summer, plus an additional £150,000 annually from the Rugby Football Union given his status as an enhanced elite England player.
Hearn stressed Pollock had no intention of leaving Northampton but highlighted how his seven-figure earning potential remaining unrealised in English rugby was indicative of the sport not tapping into its true potential and scale.
“Pollock is making the same amount of money as a young man fighting for the British title in boxing that you’ve never heard of on one night,” Hearn told Sky Sports News.
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Sky Sports’ James Cole explains why a £1m contract at Northampton is unlikely but why it could be the shape of things to come in rugby union
“This is a guy who plays over 30 games a year, puts his body through hell every week and, by the way, every team he plays against tries to nail him.
“This isn’t a guy you’ve never heard of. This is the absolute flagship superstar of English rugby. He is a red-hot superstar of the sport.
“Young kids are scoring tries and trying to replicate him. They’re going into local grassroots rugby clubs hoping to be the next Henry Pollock. Season-ticket holders are buying tickets to watch him.
“Some love him, some hate him. Everybody talks about him. And he’s going nowhere. He’s 21. He’s the future of the sport. He has a fantastic opportunity to change this sport forever in this country and make rugby red hot again.
“Rugby is a great sport. It’s full of great people. It’s full of history. It’s full of legacy. We have to make it aspirational across many different levels. We need to show young people they can chase championships and legacies themselves and that there’s a big financial future within the sport.”
Saints’ ability to meet Hearn’s expectations for Pollock’s wages may be hindered by the £6.4m salary cap currently in force across PREM Rugby, which restricts each team to one marquee player exempt from the cap.
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Pollock tries sharing his golf tips using a simulator with Sky Sports reporter Mantej Mann as the Northampton Saints player likes to play the sport in his spare time
Hearn believes the salary cap stifles growth and earning opportunities for players and revealed he would be raising his concerns directly with the league.
“I hate this idea of one marquee player,” he added. “The structure is completely wrong. I’ll be having those meetings with PREM Rugby to talk about why this is a terrible idea.
“You need to make sure these young players are making as much money as possible. You don’t want to limit them.
“You’re never going to drive money into the sport by limiting the opportunity for owners to create winning clubs and big commercial clubs. You actually want these owners to come in.
“If they’re restricted in terms of what they can do, what they can build and the superstars they can bring to the club, then it’s not going to become attractive to them.
“Forget this capping of things and saying you’re only allowed one star player. Have a whole team of star players. Let’s bring the money into rugby. Let’s make sure we can grow these fan bases and create superstars within the team.
“This is all going to filter down to grassroots. More money into the sport, more superstars, more big-name players, bigger viewership across broadcasters. And all of a sudden, the sport becomes hot again.”
