Ireland fans furious Henry Pollock wasn't punished for multiple offences
Rugby NewsSunday, 22 February 2026 at 08:37
Ireland may have cruised to a dominant 42–21 victory over England — but that didn’t stop a huge refereeing controversy erupting online.
Much of the fury centred around England flanker Henry Pollock, with Irish supporters convinced he repeatedly got away with offences at the breakdown.
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“They should penalise Pollock for this”
Rugby account Rugby Scoop shared a clip from the match that immediately went viral.
“They should penalise Pollock for this. Tackle is complete – not releasing the ball – gets up and drives a metre forward. Penalty for Ireland.”
The post racked up over 129,000 views and triggered a flood of replies.
Fans were adamant the “held in the tackle” law wasn’t being applied.
One wrote:
“He did it twice in that set of phases. Ref unmoved.”
Another added:
“Twice inside 90 seconds.”
And the frustration kept coming:
“Three or four times in this half already.”
“He did it 3 times in quick succession, get away with it, keep doing it.”
“Getting away with murder.”
“He’s clearly not held”
Not everyone agreed.
Some supporters felt Pollock was perfectly within his rights to get back to his feet.
“He’s clearly not held.”
Another commented:
“Not really held is he? One of those calls that could go either way.”
Others took a more balanced view of the officiating overall.
“Refs weren't very good but they weren't very good to both teams equally so can’t complain too much.”
And one fan couldn’t resist a dig at the outrage itself:
“Wow… the incessant moaning about referees… Constant.”
Breakdown confusion strikes again
Despite Ireland running in 42 points, several supporters felt the missed calls prevented the scoreline from becoming even more emphatic.
“Ireland should be outta sight. Disgraceful decisions all over the field.”
Another added:
“Did they forget the held in the tackle law? Weird way to police it.”
Even England’s wider performance came under scrutiny:
“England are so poor. Think they’re world beaters cause they beat a poor Welsh team but got battered by Scotland and now Ireland.”
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Now Over To World Rugby?
The incident has once again reignited debate around breakdown consistency — one of the toughest areas in the modern game to referee.
One fan summed it up perfectly:
“Yeah, this was a big talking point from the game. Glad you highlighted it, now over to World Rugby…”
Whether World Rugby take a look remains to be seen.
But even in a convincing Irish victory, this is one controversy that isn’t going away anytime soon.
EDITORS PICKS:
- England player ratings vs Ireland: 2026 Six Nations
- Ireland player ratings vs England: 2026 Six Nations
- Six Nations chaos as England vs Ireland referee is replaced mid match
- Gabriel Hamer-Webb: 10 Facts you didn’t know about Wales’ latest debutant
England’s Two Biggest Names Implode in Nightmare Ireland Defeat
Itoje and Ford were two of England’s six biggest underperformers on a chastening day at HQ.
Freddie Steward
The Leicester full-back endured an afternoon to forget. England rely on him to dominate the skies — he didn’t. Wobbly under the high ball, fortunate not to be punished for one costly spill that almost gifted Ireland a try, and then yellow-carded for a desperate infringement that handed the visitors momentum. Hooked before half-time in a ruthless call that spoke volumes.
Tom Curry
Back in the starting XV but unable to impose himself. Ireland controlled the breakdown, an area Curry usually relishes, and he struggled to swing momentum. There were flashes in wider channels and his work-rate never dipped, but England needed edge and authority — they didn’t get it. Substituted after 50 minutes with little lasting imprint on the contest.
Henry Arundell
A winger blessed with pace but short on impact. For the second week running, he looked uncertain under the high ball and hesitant when chances opened up. England needed incision out wide; instead they got indecision. A couple of promising carries came to nothing, and defensively he was exposed too often.
George Ford
A brutal afternoon for the 100-cap fly-half. Twice missing touch in the first half — one a glaring error — set the tone and drew ironic cheers from the Twickenham crowd. His game management, usually so reliable, faltered, and England’s attack drifted as a result. Slight improvement later on could not mask an uncharacteristically poor showing.
Luke Cowan-Dickie
Dragged off after just 29 minutes in a damning indictment. The lineout malfunctioned from the outset and confidence drained visibly. While he offered some energy in the loose, England never looked secure at set-piece with him throwing. A torrid cameo ended early as the coaches sou``ght stability.
Maro Itoje
A landmark 100th cap that turned into a nightmare. The lineout creaked, Ireland bullied the breakdown and England’s talismanic lock couldn’t wrest back control. Substituted after 55 minutes with the game slipping away — a rare afternoon where his influence barely registered. For a player of his stature, it was one of his poorest displays in an England shirt.
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