Henry Pollock: 10 most hated rugby players of all-time ranked

The 21-year-old England back-row has been branded “public enemy number one” in South Africa ahead of this weekend’s Nations Championship clash with the Springboks at Ellis Park.

Pollock was even approached by a stranger at England’s team hotel in Johannesburg and warned that South Africans were “coming for him”.

Northampton captain George Furbank revealed: “We had one person come up to him in the hotel and say ‘South Africans are coming for you’.

“It was actually a Congolese guy who had just finished watching the football and he came up to him and said ‘you’re public enemy number one!’.”

Pollock has also found himself targeted by Springbok supporters online, with his celebrations, confidence and outspoken personality already making him one of the biggest villains in the game.

However, at just 21 and still in the early stages of his Test career, Pollock has some way to go before earning a place alongside rugby’s all-time great pantomime villains.

Before we go any further, an important disclaimer: nobody at RUCK personally hates any of the players on this list.

The headline is deliberately provocative, but this is really a countdown of players who divided opinion, wound up opposition supporters or became major pantomime villains during and after their careers.

Some were hated because they were brilliant. Others because of their behaviour on the pitch. A few saw public perceptions change dramatically because of controversies away from rugby.

With that cleared up, here are 10 of the most divisive rugby players of all-time.

Few players enjoyed winding up opponents quite like Austin Healey.

Nicknamed “The Leicester Lip”, the former England and British & Irish Lions back rarely missed an opportunity to get under the skin of an opponent.

His confidence often crossed into arrogance in the eyes of rival supporters, while his willingness to speak his mind made him one of the most divisive characters of his generation.

Healey was the classic player supporters loved when he was wearing their shirt and absolutely despised when he was playing against them.

Yoann Huget was a hugely talented winger, but his reputation for theatrics made him deeply unpopular with opposition supporters.

The former France international was regularly accused by fans of exaggerating contact and going to ground far too easily.

In a sport that prides itself on toughness, Huget’s perceived willingness to make the most of challenges made him an easy target.

French supporters celebrated his tries. Opposition fans often found themselves furious with everything else.

At the peak of his rivalry with New Zealand, Quade Cooper was arguably the most hated man in All Blacks rugby.

The Australia playmaker became public enemy number one in New Zealand following a series of confrontations with Richie McCaw.

Every touch was booed. Every mistake was celebrated. Every meeting with the All Blacks felt personal.

Cooper was brilliant, unpredictable and never afraid of the spotlight, making him the perfect villain.

Stuart Hogg was once one of the most popular and recognisable players in British rugby.

The former Scotland captain enjoyed a glittering international career, winning 100 caps for his country and touring three times with the British & Irish Lions.

However, personal issues away from the pitch dramatically changed public perceptions of the former full-back following his initial retirement in 2023.

Hogg has since returned to rugby with Montpellier in France, where he has continued his playing career largely away from the British media spotlight.

Once one of the biggest faces in British rugby, Hogg now finds himself far less visible to supporters back home following a dramatic few years on and off the pitch.

Few rugby careers have ended in such controversial circumstances.

Israel Folau was one of the most gifted players in world rugby, but his career in Australia came to an abrupt end following a series of controversial social media posts.

Rugby Australia terminated his contract in 2019, sparking a bitter legal battle and a huge public debate that stretched far beyond sport.

Folau later returned to international rugby with Tonga, but his name remains one of the most divisive in the modern game.

The arm waving. The shouting. The constant conversations with referees.

Dan Biggar had all the ingredients required to become one of rugby’s great pantomime villains.

The Wales fly-half was fiercely competitive and never attempted to hide his emotions on the pitch.

Opposition supporters often found his antics infuriating, but Biggar’s teammates loved his passion and relentless desire to win.

There are few players in rugby history quite like Joe Marler.

The England prop spent much of his career dividing opinion through his comments, confrontations and unpredictable behaviour.

Marler could be hilarious one minute and involved in controversy the next, with his ability to wind up opponents making him one of rugby’s biggest characters — and one of its most divisive.

What makes his story especially interesting is how he came through that period to become something of a TV darling in the UK.

Through his punditry, podcasts and media appearances, Marler has shown a more thoughtful, self-aware and entertaining side, turning a reputation as rugby’s ultimate wind-up merchant into a successful second act.

The greatest openside flanker of all-time was also one of the most hated.

To New Zealand supporters, Richie McCaw was a hero.

To everyone else, he was permanently offside.

McCaw’s ability to operate on the edge of the law, influence referees and somehow emerge with the ball drove opposition fans to distraction.

The fact he was almost always on the winning side only made things worse.

Johnny Sexton was never going to win many popularity contests outside Ireland.

The former Ireland captain was fiercely competitive, regularly clashed with opponents and developed a reputation for being extremely vocal with referees.

His confrontational personality made him an easy target for opposition supporters.

But Sexton rarely cared. Winning was all that mattered.

There could only be one winner.

Owen Farrell has spent much of his career as rugby’s ultimate pantomime villain.

His aggressive tackling, confrontational style and famous smirk have made him a target for opposition supporters across the world.

Farrell has been booed, criticised and endlessly debated, yet remains hugely respected by teammates and coaches.

Like all the best sporting villains, the hatred has often been a reflection of just how much opponents feared him.

For years, rugby fans have loved to hate Owen Farrell — and that earns him top spot.