One of the all-time great club knockout results could yet have big implications in the coming days.Northampton will now feel they have a genuine chance of lifting the Champions Cupfor the first time in quarter of a century while Andy Farrell suddenly has much to ponder before Thursday’s British & Irish Lions squad announcement in London.
Just as the Saints fully deserve to be contesting this month’s final against French challengers Bordeaux-Beglès so the prospects of several of their players have been significantly enhanced. It is now less a question, for example, of whether Henry Pollock and Fin Smith could make the plane and more whether Farrell can afford to leave them behind.
Along with Tommy Freeman, whose three first-half tries laid the foundations of Northampton’s stunning 37-34 victory in Dublin, and scrum-half Alex Mitchell, Pollock and Smith were instrumental in a remarkable team effort which once again wrecked Leinster’s title hopes. One or two previously nailed-on Irish Lions also now face an anxious wait before Thursday’s squad unveiling.
By contrast Pollock and Smith could have done no more. The former scored a spectacular 50-metre individual try when his side were down to 14 players and outshone many of Ireland’s first-choice forwards. Smith, for his part, once again oozed class and assurance as Northampton scored five tries against opponents who had won their previous two knockout games by a combined score of 114-0.
The fly-half was already firmly in Lions contention but the 20-year-old Pollock has catapulted himself into the picture with a serious of stellar performances. Even Lawrence Dallaglio had to wait until he was 23 to represent his country and it is already obvious that England have unearthed a generational talent in the ‘can-do’ mould of an Ian Botham or Freddie Flintoff.
Pollock is a similarly larger-than-life character, celebrating his try by placing a finger on his neck – “Just a feeling the pulse, ice-in-the-veins type of thing’ – to show the home crowd he was not remotely overawed by the occasion. His try was also smartly engineered. “I kind of saw a massive gap in the defensive line, changed my speed and Mitch gave me a good ball. I was lucky enough to get the swerve on the outside of Sam Prendergast and finished in the middle. I was happy with that,”
Farrell will have taken due note and the English prodigy would love to join this summer’s Lions adventure down under. “I’ve thought about it. But at the end of the day you can’t control it. It’s subjective. It would be an honour to go on that plane and represent the Lions but if it’s not this year I’m sure I’ll be able to bounce back and pick myself up.
“Reflecting back on the last year it has been pretty mad. Getting to the final of theChampions Cupand getting my first senior cap would probably have been a dream. But every opportunity I’ve had I feel like I’ve taken it.”
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Pollock also believes he can “bring an energy that probably others don’t” and Northampton’s director of rugby Phil Dowson reckons his upbeat attitude would add something to any squad. “I don’t think it’s naivety, he’s very bright,” said Dowson. “I think it’s exuberance. I think he sees the game as a game and that enjoyment and fun is infectious. It goes through the team.”
Quite rightly, though, the Saints management were also keen to stress the collective effort that enabled Northampton to become the first English side to reach the Champions Cup final since 2020. Curtis Langdon, Josh Kemeny, Juarno Augustus and James Ramm were all outstanding while Fraser Dingwall and Rory Hutchinson in midfield lost nothing in comparison with the seasoned pair of Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw.
Saints are a tight, largely homegrown squad as well and Dowson felt it would have been “cruel” hadLeinsterprevailed at the death when Ross Byrne’s 79th minute ‘try’ was ruled out. “Of course the game is about skills and tactical awareness but it’s also about having some heart and working for each other,” stressed Dowson. “I think that’s probably the most pleasing thing.”
Leinster’s postmortem, however, will be long and mournful. Their head coach Leo Cullen stood by his decision to select the outstanding All Black Jordie Barrett on the bench but, either way, Leinster’s last Champions Cup triumph was seven years ago. Their record in high pressure games is increasingly patchy and they will be conspicuously absent from the final in Cardiff on 24 May. Plenty of food for thought for Farrell and the Lions management, therefore, with around a dozen Leinster players hoping to tour Australia next month.