It is too soon for Henry Pollock to become the Lions bolter

Henry Pollock scores against Wales — Henry Pollock’s two-try England debut against Wales has fuelled calls for his Lions selection - Getty Images/David Rogers

Let us begin with a central proposition with which you may or may not agree – the British and Irish Lions is not a finishing school. Unlike club and country tours, the Lions is a place where the best talent from four unions combine and hope to become better than the sum of their parts.

The delicious prospect with the Lions is that players who we see year in, year out can unite in combinations we have always wondered about, and we see if they generate the results hoped for. What fans need to remember is that there are plenty of examples of players who had one decent Six Nations tournament in a Lions year, got selected and then failed to deliver. A tour might be able to carry the odd selection like this, but it cannot afford many of them before the whole enterprise is compromised.

I am not sure why this has come to pass but there now seems to be a disproportionate interest, nay obsession, with the question of who might be a Lions ‘bolter’. I suppose it fits into the romantic fairytale of a hitherto relatively unknown player shooting from obscurity to become the hero of the moment. In the past names like Jason Robinson and John Bentley have gone down in the annals of Lions history as this sort of player. The truth is a little different.

Jason Robinson in action for the Lions in Brisbane in 2001 — Jason Robinson, pictured in Lions action in 2001, was labelled a ‘bolter’ but really he was a seasoned professional - Action Images/Andrew Budd

Bentley was first capped by England in 1988. I know that because I was on the same tour, and he then switched codes and signed for Leeds and even played at my hometown team of Halifax for five seasons. In a league career that lasted eight years he played for Great Britain and in 261 games scored 166 tries. When he returned to union via Newcastle, he was a relative unknown to union fans outside England, only because he had been plying his trade in waters unfamiliar to them. To anybody like me, who follows both codes, he was a seasoned and successful player.

Robinson had a stellar league career before turning to union, including caps for England and Great Britain. His Wigan side was hegemonic for a decade, with Robinson contributing 167 tries in 300 games for the club. Prior to his 2001 Lions selection he became the first player ever to win the Premiership and Super League. Again, much of his obscurity stemmed from ignorance of his complete playing career.

Given these facts, neither of these players were bolters in the truest sense and there is one more aspect of their Lions success that deserves mention: they were both wingers, and the similarity between the position in both codes cannot be ignored. Given their peripheral involvement, apart from fielding high balls, it is possible to switch codes and deal with different technical points in attack and defence more quickly. It is no coincidence that players from league who have tried other union positions have taken much longer to adjust. Some, like Sam Burgess, who was an outstanding league player, did not manage to make anything like a similar impact in union for this reason. Andy Farrell, ironically the head coach of the Lions, fared similarly.

Fin Smith in action for Northampton Saints against Leicester Tigers on March 21, 2025 — Fin Smith looks a safer bet for a Lions pick ahead of England and Northampton team-mate Pollock

This leads to another point about bolters: they are far more likely to be players who come from scoring positions because they naturally glean more attention. Players who trade blows in the trenches are the foundation of any team’s success, because we all know how important the battle of the bosh is to modern-day rugby. Players may excel around the breakdown but stand out nowhere near as much as a player who finishes off four tries, even if he is merely the final recipient of the ball.

As a final observation, no player will admit this, but it is the case that they all know who they do and do not rate. They have friends and team-mates who they know are in contention for Lions selection and if they are not chosen because of a bolter, whom they will think has not earned his place, it can cause resentment. They will not say it and will not demonstrate it overtly, but it will be there, nonetheless.

For all these reasons I doubt whether the increased speculation about whether Northampton and England’s Henry Pollock being a bolter this summer is likely to come to fruition. Pollock is an outstanding prospect and given a longer run of England form he will be in contention for a Lions place in the future. If anything, it is his club-mate, Fin Smith, who still has relatively limited international experience, who will fill a bolter role.

This week’s lead-up to the announcement of the Lions coaching team will generate lots of speculation and debate, and the aftermath an equal measure of the same.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Topics

British and Irish Lions tour 2025: Team news, fixtures and venues

Every four years, a British and Irish Lions tour is still seen by many as the peak of professional rugby, with the finest players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland joining forces.
Yahoo Sports - 15h
British and Irish Lions to play a First Nations selection as part of 2025 tour to Australia

The British and Irish Lions will play a First Nations lineup in Melbourne as part of the nine-game tour of Australia that includes three test matches against Joe Schmidt's Wallabies. Rugby ...
Yahoo Sports - 5d
England coach Richard Wigglesworth to join Lions tour after Andy Farrell reprieve

England’s strong finish to their Six Nations Championship has been rewarded with a late call-up to the British and Irish Lions coaching team for Richard Wigglesworth.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
England's Wigglesworth set to join Lions' coaches

England senior coach Richard Wigglesworth is set to join the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for the tour of Australia.
BBC News - 1d
Farrell looks likely to overlook England coaches for his British Lions staff

Borthwick said backroom team not been approached Coaches set to miss out for second straight Lions tour Andy Farrell looks likely to overlook England’s assistants when selecting his British & ...
The Guardian - Mar. 16
Foster to coach Australia/NZ side against Lions

Former New Zealand boss Ian Foster will coach a combined Australia/New Zealand XV against the British and Irish Lions on their 2025 tour of Australia.
Yahoo Sports - 5d
Jordan plays down Lions talk as he relishes first Six Nations with Scotland

Tom Jordan says he has paid no attention to people tipping him as a possible bolter for Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad, and says playing Six Nations rugby for Scotland was something ...
Yahoo Sports - Mar. 16
Wigglesworth set to be part of Farrell’s British & Irish Lions coaching team

Coach benefited from England’s strong Six Nations finish Wigglesworth poised to join Irish-heavy backroom team Richard Wigglesworth is set to be a surprise inclusion on Andy Farrell’s coaching ...
The Guardian - 1d
Lions in advanced talks to play France

The British and Irish Lions are in advanced talks for a historic match against France in what would mark the first meeting between the two sides in 40 years.
Yahoo Sports - 6h

It is too soon for Henry Pollock to become the Lions bolter

Topics

Related

British and Irish Lions tour 2025: Team news, fixtures and venues

British and Irish Lions to play a First Nations selection as part of 2025 tour to Australia

England coach Richard Wigglesworth to join Lions tour after Andy Farrell reprieve

England's Wigglesworth set to join Lions' coaches

Farrell looks likely to overlook England coaches for his British Lions staff

Foster to coach Australia/NZ side against Lions

Jordan plays down Lions talk as he relishes first Six Nations with Scotland

Wigglesworth set to be part of Farrell’s British & Irish Lions coaching team

Lions in advanced talks to play France

More from Yahoo Sports

Sterling's Madison Austin named All-State second team by Illinois Media

Sterling's Madison Austin named All-State second team by Illinois Media

Shedeur Sanders landing spots: Where QB could end up after Russell Wilson, Giants deal

Shedeur Sanders landing spots: Where QB could end up after Russell Wilson, Giants deal

2025 Sauk Valley baseball preview capsules

More in Sports

Jimmy's back in Miami: Follow live as the Warriors visit the Heat

Follow live: Rivals Brazil, Argentina meet in World Cup qualifier

Follow live: Rivals Brazil, Argentina meet in World Cup qualifier

Ronaldo: Penalty miss? Knew Portugal would win

Blatter, Platini cleared in FIFA corruption case