Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn made headlines in the rugby world after saying Henry Pollock's current salary is outrageous for a player of his standing. Hearn, 47, signed Pollock to Matchroom's talent agency earlier this year and has since become one of the louder voices in a sport he barely knew before 2026.
Hearn told reporters the attention surprised him. "I didn't expect that interview to explode like it has, and it's really down to Henry Pollock," he said. "They asked me, 'do you think it is fair what he is making at the moment?' And I said, 'no, I think it is outrageous'. He's playing over 30 games a year, getting battered in every game, every training session, he's got the whole rugby world trying to attack him on sight on the rugby pitch. Everybody is talking about him. He's 21, he's in the England team, he's in the Lions team, he's just won a championship. Every kid wants to be Henry Pollock, every kid wants to buy the Henry Pollock shirt, people are buying season tickets to watch him, buying TNT to watch him."
Pollock, a back rower for Northampton Saints, is 21 years old. He played for England and toured with the British and Irish Lions this year. Hearn announced the signing on social media in March, describing Pollock as a superstar. Bath and Scotland fly-half Finn Russell has since also signed with Matchroom's agency.
According to Yahoo Sports, Hearn attended his first international rugby match only this past March, watching Wales face Italy in the final round of the Six Nations. His entry into the sport was driven by Pollock's profile rather than any prior connection to rugby.
Matchroom was founded by Hearn's father Barry and has been credited with driving growth in snooker, boxing, and darts. Hearn says the company does not operate as a consultancy and has bigger ambitions for rugby. "Our history in changing sports is pretty much second to none," he said. "But we are not a bit-part player. We are not a consultancy. We'll restructure it, we'll remodel it, we'll change it from grassroots, we'll create a system to bring stars through."
Hearn has also been in contact with Simon Massie-Taylor, chief executive of Prem Rugby, whom he described as very smart. He knows CVC Capital Partners, the investment firm with a stake in the Premiership, and held initial talks about involvement in rugby league before shifting his focus to union after recognizing Pollock's potential.
He described rugby union as a sleeping giant and said the sport is unambitious in how it has managed its commercial opportunities. He acknowledged that other promoters and agents have been calling him to ask about his plans. "Everyone is basically phoning me up at the moment going, 'what's your plan?'" he said. "And I don't know, to be honest. I just think Henry Pollock is great. And I think rugby is a sleeping giant."
