Northampton seek ‘happy medium’ to keep England star Henry Pollock

Northampton are working to reach a “happy medium” in negotiations to retain Henry Pollock, after his agent suggested the England back-row forward should be earning £1m a year.

Pollock’s current contract with the reigning Premiership champions is understood to be worth about £150,000 ($200,000) annually and runs until the end of the 2026/27 season.

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said discussions over an improved deal were progressing positively, while stressing that Pollock’s own priority was to remain with the club and compete for major honours.

Talks have taken on greater significance since Eddie Hearn, Pollock’s agent and a prominent figure in boxing, said last month that his client should be paid a seven-figure salary.

Speaking at the launch of the 2026/27 Premiership season, Dowson said: “What Eddie Hearn also said, and people have gone straight to the million-pound remark, but the other thing he said is that Henry wants to win stuff, Henry wants to stay at Saints.”

“He wants to win the World Cup. I embrace that. I am all for that.

“The appetite is for him to stay. Now we’ve got to find some sort of a happy medium. We really want to keep him, he really wants to stay, and that’s a great start.”

Pollock, who made his England debut in 2025, has quickly established himself as one of the most prominent young players in the English game. He has also toured with the British and Irish Lions.

The dynamic back-rower played a part in Northampton’s run to the 2025 European Champions Cup final before helping the Saints win the Premiership title last season.

In addition to his Northampton salary, Pollock receives about £150,000 a year from the Rugby Football Union for his England appearances.

His profile has grown beyond his performances on the pitch. Pollock is known for a flamboyant style in which he seeks to provoke opponents and marks tries with carefully rehearsed celebrations, an approach that has helped him build a substantial following among younger supporters.

However, some figures within rugby believe those displays sit uneasily with the sport’s traditional emphasis on collective responsibility and putting the team ahead of the individual. There have also been concerns that Hearn’s comments could unsettle Pollock or encourage him to consider other options.

Those concerns are heightened by the financial restrictions facing Premiership clubs, who operate within a £6.4m salary cap.

Dowson acknowledged that Hearn was performing his role by seeking to raise Pollock’s value and elevate his public profile.

“Eddie Hearn has a job to do and that is to promote his client and ask for more money for his client,” said Dowson. “He’s doing both of those very effectively.

“We’ve said we want to publicise and grow the game and he has the ability to do that.”

For Northampton, the immediate objective is to ensure Pollock’s ambition to win trophies and represent England at the World Cup can be matched by a new agreement that keeps him at Franklin’s Gardens.