South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus compares Henry Pollock to Siya Kolisi
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has compared England youngster Henry Pollock to Springboks captain Siya Kolisi ahead of their meeting in Johannesburg next week.
The 21-year-old back-row forward is set to feature against the reigning world champions at Ellis Park in the Nations Championship opener on Saturday, 4 July.
Despite earning early international and British and Irish Lions recognition, his on-field antics have drawn harsh criticism from some quarters in South Africa.
Defending the ‘TikTok dancer’
Former World Cup winner Schalk Burger recently labelled the exciting talent a “TikTok dancer” who only plays rugby on the weekends.
Speaking after the Gallagher Premiership final, the English prospect admitted he was confused by the intense public scrutiny.
However, Springboks boss Erasmus believes the attention is a natural consequence of his profile, drawing a direct parallel with double World Cup-winning skipper Kolisi.
He’s like Siya. People make a big deal about certain players, but I don’t always think the players themselves want that attention.
What counts is what they do on the field, and recently, he’s been doing that. If I were coaching him, I’d only look at his output, and that has been exceptional.
England seek redemption after Six Nations slump
Steve Borthwick’s side arrive in South Africa desperate to halt a slide of four consecutive defeats that saw them finish fifth in the Six Nations.
The crucial clash precedes a demanding summer schedule featuring further Tests against Fiji and Argentina.
Hooker Jamie George takes on the captaincy for the tour, while talismanic lock Maro Itoje has been rested.
Erasmus anticipates a fierce challenge from an English squad balancing youth with the experience of their 2023 World Cup semi-final run.
Tactically, Steve is someone who works with numbers and chases trends, and that’s always difficult to prepare against.
If I say we know exactly what they’ll do next Saturday, I’d be lying.
