Fin Smith highlights key Henry Pollock factor fuelling Northampton

Fin Smith insists Henry Pollock is energising Northampton’s Gallagher Prem title march through his “larger than life character”.

Saints will collide with Exeter in Saturday’s final at Allianz Stadium following two gripping play-offs that saw Leicester and Bath bow out with their pride intact.

Smith was named man of the match against Tigers with Steve Borthwick watching at Franklin’s Gardens and the England head coach will also have been impressed with a seismic contribution from Pollock.

Pollock made 26 carries on a night of hard graft from the rookie number eight, but England and Lions team-mate Smith insists his lively personality is also playing an important role.

Smith said: “Credit to him for such a young guy. Last week we were a little bit tight and there was a little bit of nervousness, but he definitely wasn’t feeling that at all.

“I’m not worried about him tightening up, that’s for sure. Probably the opposite, we have to try to chill him out a bit.

“It’s hugely helpful for a 21-year-old to sit in a meeting room when there’s a load of internationals that might be going ‘hopefully we win this week’ and to just sit there taking the piss out of everyone.

“He’s a larger than life character and really is invaluable. He brings people with him, not with words but just with the energy he gives off. It’s really useful.

“He was absolutely unbelievable against Leicester – like a proper, proper world class number eight.”

It is the second time in three seasons that Phil Dowson’s men have reached the Twickenham showpiece and the 2024 champions signalled they are the team to beat after running in seven tries in a 45-31 victory over Tigers.

Northampton topped the regular Prem season and negotiated their play-off displaying electric attacking rugby – and Smith insists they must not deviate from the high octane style that is their trademark.

The England fly-half said: “Just because it’s a final doesn’t mean you have to be all cagey and kicking penalties the whole time.

“It doesn’t have to be drop-goals. It doesn’t have to be all tight. You can still go and play a certain style of rugby if you’re brave enough to do that.

“All the times we’ve played well has been by sticking to this style and all the times where we’ve probably not done ourselves justice has been when we get a little bit tight. But saying it is one thing, doing it is another.”

Exeter’s place in the climax to the season was made possible by a do-or-die defensive action on their line that denied Bath’s relentless late onslaught.

The Chiefs won 27-26 at the Recreation Ground and boss Rob Baxter said: “We have to be ready to go out and fight a war again because that’s what it was against Bath.

“Northampton is a huge challenge for us, but we’re going to Twickenham and we’ve had some pretty good days there in the past.”