England fans destined for ‘euphoria’ against Ireland courtesy of Henry Pollock

Henry Pollock has been handed his first England start by Steve Borthwick, as he has been named at number eight for the Six Nations fixture against Ireland.

The 21-year-old has already made seven caps for his national side, all of which have come from the bench, but clearly, he has made a significant impression in these cameos.

It could be argued he has become the poster boy of this England team due to his presence on social media and the fresh approach he is bringing to rugby.

Borthwick will be hopeful that the selection of Pollock could have the desired effect this weekend against Ireland, particularly after the humbling defeat to Scotland in the Calcutta Cup.

Speaking ahead of this clash, it is clear that the head coach has been waiting for this moment, impressed by the Northampton Saints star from the very first moment they shook hands.

He said: “I was told when you’re up there you should meet Henry Pollock.

“He’s a young player with a huge future ahead of him; he’s not yet played for the first team, but you should meet Henry Pollock.

“I was stood in the car park, and this bundle of energy just bounced up to me.

“Typically, when an 18-year-old meets the England head coach for the first time, they are usually on the shy and retiring side. But this man is the complete opposite, gregarious and loud; the first thing he said was, 'How are you, mate?’. I thought, right, you’re different. Wonderfully different, and that’s the kind of character we’ve got in the squad. He’s larger than life.”

Pollock has become a household name, particularly due to his clashes on the pitch with opponents or through his presence on social media.

It is his performances off the bench for England which have earned him this chance to start against Ireland, and Borthwick believes he is the ideal man to reignite their Six Nations campaign.

He said: “He can bring a euphoria to people that not many players can.

“I will challenge him to express himself, be himself and bring what gets people jumping up and down with joy and also bring the self-sacrifice that a team sport needs. Do both. He does it wonderfully well, and I am looking forward to seeing him do it from the start.”