Former Springboks star Steven Kitshoff admits that his opinion on young back-rower Henry Pollock has changed after his performance last weekend.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise since playing a key role in England\u2019s World Rugby U20 Championship victory in July 2024.<\/p>\n
In the 12 months that followed, Pollock<\/a> established himself in the Northampton Saints first team, made his Test debut and went on tour with the British and Irish Lions.<\/p>\n He hopes not to endure \u2018second season syndrome\u2019 in 2025\/26, but the signs are so far positive for the youngster.<\/p>\n Superb Investec Champions Cup display<\/p>\n Having impressed during England\u2019s<\/a> November campaign, he returned to the Saints and produced an exceptional display in their Investec Champions Cup triumph over the Bulls.<\/p>\n Following the end-of-year international series, South Africans<\/a> have wanted to see him taken down a peg or two, and the Pretoria outfit had their chance when they visited England, but they had no answer to the number eight.<\/p>\n Kitshoff has been a critic of Pollock\u2019s on-field antics and, while he still doesn\u2019t like that aspect of his game, the Boks great cannot deny his talent.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone\u2019s been saying for many weeks since the English played against the All Blacks that we just want to have one full go at Henry Pollock and then he puts up a performance like that,\u201d he said on the GameTime<\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n \u201cI take back everything I said about the guy, he\u2019s bloody good. I love him.\u201d<\/p>\n Steven Kitshoff: Exploitation of players \u2018happens more than we think\u2019 after Bryan Habana stealing revelation<\/a><\/p>\n Kitshoff was joined on the show by co-host Joshua Eady, who said: \u201cPhenomenal player, it\u2019s the attitude thing for us, but it\u2019s also the attitude thing because he\u2019s young, he\u2019s up and coming, he\u2019s ruffling feathers and getting under people\u2019s skin.<\/p>\n \u201cNot to take away anything, that was an incredible performance. You had George Hendy with the hat-trick, all three of those tries came from Henry Pollock\u2019s assist in some way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n Kitshoff then wanted to clarify his position, adding: \u201cJust for the viewers, we like Henry Pollock the way that he plays, we just don\u2019t always like what he does on the camera.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s because we\u2019re old school and we\u2019re South African, and we want guys to be hard.\u201d<\/p>\n