Eddie Hearn lets cat out of the bag on Henry Pollock
England flanker Henry Pollock will sign a new contract with Northampton Saints tomorrow after boxing promoter Eddie Hearn let the cat out of the bag with an Instagram post.
Pollock, who was offered a deal by Newcastle Red Bulls, has been closing in on a new contract with the Gallagher PREM champions for the last few weeks, despite saying last week in a pre-season media session that he was open to offers.
“I’m so young, so I think it’s only right that I assess those options and find the best decision for myself. Your career is so short that you look back on yourself, and you almost regret not exploring new avenues, exploring different things.
“I think for me, you almost have to be quite selfish in that aspect, think what’s right for you. If that is staying here, then that’s great. I’ll be here for however long. If it’s not, then I’ll be open to new opportunities,” he said.
But an end to the saga is now in sight, with Hearn, who heads up the Matchroom Talent Agency, tagging Pollock in a post with a signing emoji and writing “tomorrow,” a clear sign that everything is agreed.
Pollock, out of contract at the end of the season, is expected to sign a two-year deal that bumps his wages to around £400,000 a year, up from the £150,000 his current deal is worth.
The end being in sight will be a relief to Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson, who recently joked that “it would have been good to have it sorted three weeks ago”.
Pollock’s England team-mate Tommy Freeman has already secured his future, while the club, who kick off the defence of their PREM crown against the Red Bulls this weekend, are looking to tie down scrum-half Archie McParland and loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun.
Register your interest to receive priority updates on RWC27 ticket releases. Don't miss out, stay in the loop!