Erasmus likens England's Pollock to Kolisi ahead of Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has drawn a direct comparison between England back-row Henry Pollock and Springboks captain Siya Kolisi, describing the 21-year-old’s form as “exceptional” ahead of the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on 5 July.

Pollock arrives in the international window on the back of a player-of-the-match display as Northampton Saints defeated Exeter Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership final on Saturday, and is expected to be central to Steve Borthwick’s plans against the world champions.

Erasmus, speaking after naming his 46-man Springboks squad earlier this week, acknowledged that both Pollock and Kolisi attract outsized public attention — but suggested that scrutiny is rarely something the players themselves seek out.

“He’s like Siya,” Erasmus said. “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.”

Some former Springboks have suggested that Pollock could be targeted by South Africa in what will be his first meeting with the world champions, given the profile he has built and the reaction it has provoked in certain quarters of the rugby world. Erasmus did not address those claims directly.

The South Africa coach was equally complimentary about England’s wider squad, pointing to a blend of youth and experience that he believes will make Borthwick’s side a genuine threat at Ellis Park.

“The England squad is good — their average age is about 27, and Test caps around 32, so it’s a young yet experienced squad,” Erasmus said. “There are a few older players in their 30s, which brings the experience, but the young guys will add fearlessness into a team that was in the World Cup semi-final in 2023, and who have competed really well off the back of the Premiership. It’s a very competitive squad, and we know we’ll have to work really hard against them at Ellis Park next week if we want to get a win.”

England and South Africa kick off their Nations Championship campaigns against each other on 5 July in Johannesburg.