Pollock clocks 21mph hat-trick to announce himself on England's Six Nations stage

Henry Pollock announced himself as one of England’s most explosive back-row options with a hat-trick off the bench against Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, finishing the Nations Championship round-two fixture with a top speed of 21mph recorded by England’s performance staff.

The 21-year-old entered the field after 48 minutes and immediately made his presence felt, ending the game with the second-most metres carried, two line breaks and five defenders beaten — a return that would be impressive for any back, let alone a 103kg flanker.

His first try was the most striking. Ben Earl’s precisely weighted grubber kick sent Pollock into a foot race with Fiji winger Jiuta Wainiqolo, a player previously clocked at close to 24mph. Wainiqolo had already played 55 minutes, including a spell covering the backfield after a red card reduced Fiji to 14 men, and was forced to turn and chase. Pollock, starting several metres behind, hunted him down and grounded the ball — a sequence that was, as the flanker himself might admit, purely about raw pace.

England’s recorded figure of 21mph falls short of specialist speedsters such as Louis Rees-Zammit, but it is exceptional for a forward of his size. For context, back-row colleague Ben Earl reached 20.9mph against Australia at Allianz Stadium earlier in the season. Some observers have suggested Pollock may have been forced to decelerate slightly to secure the grounding, meaning his true top speed could be higher.

Pace was again the decisive factor for his second try, where he beat Fiji full-back Salesi Rayasi on the outside with a clean burst of acceleration. The hat-trick was completed with tries that also demonstrated sharp running lines and an ability to read space — qualities that go beyond mere athleticism.

England head coach Steve Borthwick has previously floated the idea of deploying Pollock on the wing, and while the Northampton Saints star has remained in the back row, Saturday’s display reinforced the argument that his speed and footwork would not look out of place in the outside backs. With 12 caps already to his name, Pollock is fast becoming one of the most compelling players in the England squad ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.