Former Springboks captain Jean de Villiers says Henry Pollock must learn to control his emotions after \u2018costing\u2019 Northampton Saints a place in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old loose forward is one of the hottest properties in world rugby right now, with his extravagant celebrations and feisty exchanges with opponents.<\/p>\n
His antics on the pitch and on social media have caught the eye of renowned boxing and sports promoter Eddie Hearn, who has signed him to his newly-formed agency, Matchroom.<\/p>\n
Still, Pollock<\/a> has produced the goods on the pitch, helping Northampton Saints<\/a> reach the Investec Champions Cup<\/a> final last season after earning his Test debut for England in the Six Nations, and was the youngest member of the British and Irish Lions squad.<\/p>\n However, this season, Springboks great De Villiers believes that Pollock\u2019s actions ended Northampton\u2019s run in the Champions Cup after he was penalised and yellow-carded in the 73rd minute of the closely fought quarter-final against Bath at The Rec.<\/p>\n Springboks legend says Henry Pollock cost Northampton Saints<\/p>\n Bath launched a threatening attack with Fin Russell making a break and linking up with Henry Arundell, who was dragged down by Tommy Freeman, and at the ensuing breakdown, Pollock pilfered over in an attempt to turnover possession.<\/p>\n However, referee Andrew Brace deemed that he did so illegally, and after Bath failed to make use of the penalty advantage, he issued the yellow card to Pollock with The Rec erupting in response and so again soon after when Ted Hill powered over for the winning try.<\/p>\n Reviewing the match on The Boks Unpacked podcast, De Villiers<\/a> said that Pollock needs to learn to control his emotions to further develop as a player, adding that his indiscretion cost Saints the match.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I immediately thought that here\u2019s a guy who\u2019s becoming the face of English rugby, but it didn\u2019t seem as if the Bath crowd were very happy and pro-Pollock,\u201d De Villiers began.<\/p>\n \u201cHe still a youngster and there\u2019s no doubt that there\u2019s talent there and he actually threw himself around a little bit, the ugly stuff, he was willing to put his head in the rucks, get a couple of turnovers, but you need to be able to control your emotions in those games, especially when games become as tight as that one on the weekend.<\/p>\n Loose Pass: England\u2019s unused back-row riches, what Antoine Dupont\u2019s GOAT status hinges on and being \u2018short-changed\u2019 by the Champions Cup<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBecause a foolish and simple penalty like that and being able to play the last seven or eight minutes of the game with 14 men, it costs your team.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a point to be made to say that he potentially cost his team the game because he wasn\u2019t on the pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cHe could have provided that X-factor in the last couple of minutes, but he wasn\u2019t there. With time, with maturity, he will learn to control his emotions and become clear about what you want to do.<\/p>\n \u201cAll this other stuff doesn\u2019t matter if you don\u2019t win games, and you are costing your team games.\u201d<\/p>\n