​England’s emerging talents Henry Pollock and Noah Caluori are aiming to secure a starting berth for their country after both crossed the line in a commanding 73-8 win over Fiji on Saturday. Pollock, 21, netted a hat-trick after coming on as a 48th-minute substitute at Hill Dickinson Stadium, while 19-year-old Caluori, making his debut off the bench, set up a try for Henry Slade before touching down himself.
A source of motivation for Pollock is the chance to start, a role he has only held once in 12 Test appearances for England. “Right now, I’m focused on trying to earn that starting shirt,” Pollock said. “Steve [Borthwick] told me before the Fiji game to go out there and be myself. I hope I did that and that he saw enough in me.”
Pollock also acknowledged England’s depth in the back row, calling it “crazy good.” The competition includes Ollie Chessum, Tom Curry, Guy Pepper, and Ben Earl. Yet a strong finish to the season with Northampton, plus six Test tries in a relatively short international span, has sparked calls for Pollock to be handed a chance from the outset.
“I’m just trying to focus on myself and my performances. Hopefully, that will translate into results in the team,” Pollock said.
Caluori, who shares the Premiership’s joint lead for tries this season, will need to overcome stiff competition for a long-term starting place. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman began at the wings against Fiji, with contenders such as Cadan Murley, Tom Roebuck, Henry Arundell, and Adam Radwan also in the mix. Caluori, who has publicly set his sights on becoming England’s best-ever wing, is determined to rise higher up the pecking order.
“I’m still hungry for more,” he told Rugby Union Weekly. “I always want to push. The next step after this is to start. I’m always trying to get better every day in training. I’m not a complacent person, so I’m always striving to be more hungry and achieve more.”
Both Pollock and Caluori celebrated their Fiji scores in style. Pollock’s final try came with a celebratory pose echoing England football star Jude Bellingham, arms outstretched as he celebrated. Caluori, meanwhile, leapt over the whitewash in a display of his impressive vertical leap, a moment that underscored his airborne prowess. In the broader context of his aerial ability, Caluori’s talent has been highlighted as a potential differentiator at the highest level.
When asked to compare his celebration to Chris Ashton’s signature swan dive, Caluori quipped that Ashton’s technique might be superior, though he believes they share a similar aesthetic: “I think his technique is a little better—maybe I jump a bit further.”
Looking ahead, England will finish their summer series against Argentina this Saturday. The head-to-head record is strongly in England’s favor, with 15 wins from 16 meetings. The Pumas have won both of their matches at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, defeating Scotland and South Africa in those clashes, but England will be confident of extending their dominant run against Argentina on neutral ground.