Noah Caluori wants to follow the Henry Pollock road-map
Noah Caluori wants to follow the trail blazed by Henry Pollock in 2025 by winning his first England cap in the upcoming Six Nations.
Saracens’ teenage sensation has set his sights on becoming England’s greatest ever wing but his immediate target will be helping the under-20s win the grand slam, which runs alongside the Championship.
A year ago Pollock was competing in the age grade competition only for his stellar performances to result in a call-up by Steve Borthwick, resulting in his try-scoring debut against Wales.
Three months later, aged 20, he was the youngest member of the British and Irish Lions squad that delivered a triumphant tour of Australia.
The 19-year-old Caluori has already had a taste of England camp after his aerial expertise was used to mimic Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in training during the build up to last autumn’s Test against the Wallabies. Now he feels ready to take the next step.
“I want to go on England’s tour this year and hopefully get my first cap either in this Six Nations or in the summer,” the six-foot four-inch Caluori said. “I want to make the most of any opportunity I’m given.
“I know Pollock last year was in the under-20 camps, moved up into the Six Nations senior squad, went back into the under-20s and then made his debut in the Six Nations.
“Credit to him, he’s had a crazy rise and I would definitely like to follow in his footsteps in some of the things he’s done.
“We’ve had a couple of chats in camp, but not really in depth. But maybe that’s a chat to be had in the future to get some tips.”
Caluori announced his arrival with a stunning five-try haul in Saracens’ 65-14 demolition of Sale on October 18 that showcased his unique threat in the air and finishing skills. A week later he was called up by England.
That performance had its origins in a training ground dressing down by Owen Farrell in the wake of his debut off the bench against Newcastle on the opening weekend of the season.
“It was a very cold day. I wasn’t necessarily moping. I was a bit cold. Feeling a bit ill,” recalled Caluori, who was speaking ahead of the ‘Showdown 6’ between Saracens and Northampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 28.
“I’m usually quite bubbly in training but it wasn’t one of those days. I would say I could have been training harder.
“We were doing a tackle drill and I was like, ‘my shoulder kind of hurts’, just to myself. Faz was like, ‘is there anything wrong with you?’. I said, ‘I’m fine’ and he said, ‘train like it then’.
“I didn’t take it in a negative way at all. He spoke to me later in the session and said, ‘you shouldn’t need someone to motivate you to train like you always do on a day when it is cold or on a day when you haven’t been selected’.
“No matter what ups and down in my career I want to have the same mental focus and treat every opportunity the same.”
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