Pollock wows with try double in Northampton’s loss at Stade Français
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Henry Pollock pressed home his claim for a place in England’s Six Nations squad on Tuesday, scoring two tries as Northampton’s standout performer before the patched-up Saints were ultimately put to the sword. Pollock stole the show in a breathless first quarter when Northampton raced into a 21-0 lead with the 19-year-old scoring two of his side’s three early tries. Stade responded in brutal fashion against a Saints side – who lost their fly-half Fin Smith to illness on the day – to inflict Northampton’s first Champions Cup defeat of the season.
![[Tom Lockett scores a try for Northampton]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c5a59d4cd117b48298967e5e463a0112a22cbbdd/0_116_3003_1802/master/3003.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The visitors had 11 players unavailable for selection even before Smith was ruled out. That Phil Dowson also opted to rest Fraser Dingwall and Juarno Augustus demonstrated how much faith he has in his fringe players and how important their back-to-back wins in the first two rounds of this competition were in December.
Smith’s withdrawal meant a switch to fly-half for Rory Hutchinson but any sense Northampton’s attacking ambitions may be dulled by the upheaval was swiftly expunged. They caught a Stade Français side, who have been desperately struggling for form of late, decidedly cold.
The second-row Sam Lockett was the first to dot down, crashing over from close range after Tommy Freeman had gone close on the right before Pollock had his first. He had spent the considerable buildup lurking on the right touchline but if he can produce the kind of dextrous finish his first try required then all power to him.
His second stunned Stade, by this stage shell-shocked. He pilfered the ball near the halfway line and raced through to score between the posts, saluting the Northampton faithful as he did so – Pollock does not lack for confidence. It was one of those moments that leaves you wondering quite what just happened and when you have a player who can do that, it is normally a good sign. As fate would have it, Pollock turns 20 on Tuesday.
