Bordeaux won out once again against Northampton on Sunday, in a repeat of last season’s Champions Cup final.
The French side claimed a deserved maiden European crown in the decider last year, and the rematch was one of the most hotly-anticipated of the third round of pool stage games last weekend.
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The ante was upped significantly by the presence of Henry Pollock in the Northampton team. A master of the art of so-called “shithousery,” Pollock was at the centre of the fracas that followed May’s Champions Cup final in Cardiff.
Pollock was targeted by Bordeaux players at full-time of last year’s final, with Northampton players and coaches furious that him being grabbed by the neck brought no punishment. The Bordeaux players would later hold up signs referencing Pollock at the team’s homecoming parade.
Ahead of this weekend’s game, Northampton head coach Phil Dowson referenced those incidents, calling them “out of order,” and saying that he expected all of the home fans to be booing his star man in Bordeaux.
Just nine minutes into the game, Pollock would give some back to the fans in the Stade Cheban-Delmas, after scoring a superb chip-and-chase try against rapid France international Damien Penaud.
It just HAD to be him! 😇
Boos rain down from the Bordeaux Bègles fans as Henry Pollock scores @SaintsRugby‘s opener and shushes the crowd 👀#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/G7YenLAojR
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) January 11, 2026
Pollock pulled out his trademark “ice in the veins” celebration, as Northampton players appeared to prevent Bordeaux scrum-half Martin Page-Relo from going after the Englishman.
The home fans did indeed respond with boos aplenty, and Pollock’s Northampton would ultimately end up on the wrong side of a heavy defeat.
Bordeaux racked up 50 points to Northampton’s 28 and, by the game’s conclusion, the home side were giving it back to Pollock, as some were captured screaming in Pollock’s face late in the game.
I know if anyone deserves the verbal it’s Pollock but is there really any need for LBB to scream in his face at this point? Call me a rugby values tosser but you’re 30 up at home and obviously winning, it’s a bit much pic.twitter.com/QOFg1bvG4T
— The 5 Metre Channel (@FMC_Rugby) January 11, 2026
There is clearly a personal edge to Bordeaux’s rivalry with Henry Pollock, but their coach Noel McNamara offered an against-the-grain take on his antics in his post-match press conference.
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Bordeaux’s Irish coach Noel McNamara on Henry Pollock
Former Ireland U20 head coach Noel McNamara now serves as Bordeaux’s attack coach, and offered an intriguing take on the Henry Pollock spectacle after Sunday’s game.
Clare man McNamara said he had a lot of respect for Pollock, saying that he was merely bringing “individuality” to the game that Bordeaux themselves encourage their players to do.
Henry Pollock… Le méchant dans les spectacles de pantomimes selon Noel McNamara ! pic.twitter.com/d6nnhbFUPs
— RUGBYRAMA (@RugbyramaFR) January 12, 2026
He also said he enjoyed the Bordeaux crowd’s engagement with “pantomime villain” Pollock, and said that it was something that many players had experienced in France in the past.
However, he would admit he would “prefer” if Pollock was not booed.
It’s kinda pantomime villain stuff, to be honest about it. Listen, he’s a magnificent player and that’s where it starts and where it ends for me.
He’s got a lot of character and, here at UBB, we encourage players to be the best of themselves, bring the best of themselves, be an individual, bring their individuality into the collective. He does that magnificently.
The first try, [Pollock] has a little chip over the top with his left foot, and then has the gas to gas Damien Penaud. That’s pretty special.
In terms of the crowd stuff, I love it. There’s loads of people in the past who have come to France and it’s a difficult place to come and to do what he did today. I think it says a lot about him.
I would prefer if he wasn’t booed, but I think it adds a little bit to it.
McNamara went on to say that Pollock would be judged on his exploits on the pitch, not his boisterous behaviour with rival fans.
For him, it’s ‘never change, be yourself, be the best of yourself.’ Ultimately, he will be judged on his ability as a rugby player. All the other stuff will become peripheral, the TikTok and all the stuff with the crowd.
Last season, we had a couple of instances as well with some of our players that embraced it over in Ulster and here again against Munster as well. I love it, it’s awesome, it brings some profile to the game, and that’s exactly what we need.
We need characters, we need individuality, but above all, good rugby players.
It’s hard to contend that Henry Pollock is not a player with a huge amount of quality, but the shithousery that accompanies the Englishman on the pitch is what makes him one of the most captivating players in the game today.
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