Henry Pollock benched again: England team to play Argentina

Thursday, 16 July 2026 at 13:00

byCharlie Elliott

Henry Pollock will have to wait a little longer for his second England start after being named among the replacements once again for this weekend's clash with Argentina.

Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel

The 21-year-old has been in outstanding form and made a huge impact from the bench last weekend, scoring a hat-trick as England thrashed Fiji 73-8 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Despite that display, the Northampton Saints back row has not been handed a place in the starting XV for England's final Nations Championship fixture of the summer.

Pollock, who has gained attention across the rugby world for his performances and personality both on and off the field, is still searching for just his second Test start. His only previous start came in England's Six Nations defeat to Ireland earlier this year.

England men's head coach Steve Borthwick has selected an unchanged starting XV for Saturday's Round 3 Nations Championship meeting with Argentina in Santiago del Estero. Kick off is at 8.10pm BST, with live coverage on ITV1.

There are two changes among the replacements, with Ben Spencer and uncapped loosehead prop Emmanuel Iyogun included in the matchday 23.

Jamie George will captain the side on his 113th England appearance, moving into fourth place on England men's all-time list for Test caps. Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum have again been named as vice-captains.

“We're excited by the challenge of playing Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero,” said Borthwick.

“We expect a fantastic atmosphere with passionate home support. It promises to be a great occasion, and one the players are excited to embrace.”

ARGENTINA v ENGLAND

Saturday 18 July 2026

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

Kick-off: 8.10pm BST

15. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 52 caps)

14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 29 caps)

13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 76 caps)

12. Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 6 caps)

11. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)

10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)

9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 26 caps)

1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 82 caps) – vice-captain

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 112 caps) – captain

3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 24 caps)

4. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 21 caps)

5. George Martin (Saracens, 23 caps)

6. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps) – vice-captain

7. Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)

8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 53 caps)

Replacements:

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 60 caps)

17. Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints, uncapped)

18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks, 8 caps)

19. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 70 caps)

20. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints, 12 caps)

21. Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby 18 caps)

22. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears, 1 cap)

23. Noah Caluori (Saracens, 1 cap)

HENRY POLLOCK FACTS

Here are 15 facts you may not know about rugby's hottest property.

1. Youngest-ever Peter Deakin Medal winner

Pollock became the youngest player ever to win the Peter Deakin Medal, awarded to the Gallagher PREM Final Player of the Match, after starring in Northampton's victory over Exeter Chiefs.

2. He's only 21 years old

Despite already being one of the biggest names in English rugby, Pollock is still only 21 and has his best years ahead of him.

3. He made his Saints debut at 17

Pollock made his senior Northampton Saints debut in September 2022 while still a teenager.

4. He came through the Saints academy

The back-row star rose through Northampton's academy system after developing his game at Buckingham RUFC and Stowe School.

5. He helped England win the U20 World Championship

Pollock played a key role in England's World Rugby U20 Championship triumph and was widely regarded as one of the standout players of the tournament.

6. He scored twice on his England debut

The flanker announced himself on the international stage by scoring two tries on his England debut against Wales.

7. He became a British & Irish Lion incredibly early

Pollock earned selection for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour after just a handful of Test appearances, underlining how highly he is rated.

8. He holds a Gallagher PREM carrying record

According to Oval Insights, Pollock averaged more metres carried per 80 minutes than any back-row player in Premiership history.

9. He was Northampton's youngest professional-era try scorer

Pollock became Saints' youngest try scorer of the professional era when he crossed the whitewash during the early stages of his career.

10. He's one of rugby's biggest personalities

Whether it's his celebrations, confidence or social media presence, Pollock has become one of the sport's most recognisable young stars.

11. He comes from a family of elite athletes

Sport runs through the Pollock family. His mother, Hester, was a national-level triathlete, while his father John also competed at a high level.

12. His sister is a rising athletics star

Pollock's sister, Zoe, is making a name for herself in the United States as a talented 400m hurdler at the University of Georgia.

13. He could have played for Scotland

Despite becoming an England international, Pollock qualified for Scotland through both of his parents.

14. He started out as a scrum-half

Before becoming one of the most exciting back-row forwards in world rugby, Pollock actually began his rugby journey at scrum-half.

15. He's already worth millions

Following his Northampton Saints contract extension, England enhanced elite contract and several lucrative sponsorship agreements, Pollock's net worth is believed to be between £1.5 million and £2 million.

At just 21 years of age, Pollock is already breaking records and collecting silverware. If his current trajectory continues, the Northampton and England star could go on to become one of the defining players of his generation.

QUIZ: Can you name every Premiership winning captain since 2000?

Think you know your rugby history? This quiz will test your memory and knowledge of the game’s leaders — your task is simple: name every Premiership Rugby–winning captain since 2000.

From legendary skippers who lifted multiple trophies to surprise champions who made history, see if you can recall them all. Get ready to scrum down and show off your Premiership pedigree!