Henry Pollock has revealed that playing against much larger men “excites” him, and why he now has an oxygen chamber at home.
Speaking to Men’s Health UK, the talented back-row forward focused on his physicality and how he’s tried to boost his size in an effort to counter opposition threats.
“I always wanted to win, no matter what I was doing”
He hasn’t always been physically large. In fact, when he was younger, he was forced to compete with kids much larger than him.
“I was the youngest, the smallest, the one who had to keep up with my sister and brother,” he said.
“That drove me. When I was younger, I’d play in the back garden with my brother and one of his best mates. They were both two years older than me and I’d always end up hurt. But they were so much older and I was always trying to keep up…I hated losing. I always wanted to win, no matter what I was doing. Even the smallest thing, I’d want to win.”
His intensity on the field is clear for all to see, with his antics often making the highlight reel, but that’s not likely to change.
“That’s just me. That’s my personality,” he said. “That’s what I’m like on and off the pitch. If you like it, great. If not, I don’t care too much. That’s what I’m like, and that’s what I bring to a team.”
But being such a large and controversial character requires you to be able to back it up, and Pollock does everything he can to ensure that his actions and physicality match his mouth.
“I’m constantly changing weight between weeks. If we’re playing a team with a big forward pack, I’ll put more weight on. If we’re playing a team where I need to be able to move more, that’s different. I can put on weight and lose weight very quickly. My metabolism is very fast. If we’ve got four or five games in a row where I need to be at a certain size, I can stay there.
“The game demands much more now than it did. To have those extra one percents, to make sure your body and mind are right, is so important. Previously, they wouldn’t have been looking after their bodies as well as I do. They didn’t have access to that back in their day. At home, we’ve now got an oxygen chamber, red light, sauna and ice. Having that on my doorstep means my recovery is so simple. I can do it first thing in the morning, last thing before bed. It’s been a game changer.”
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“I just need to do my job each week, and hopefully the rest comes naturally”
Coming up against much larger men doesn’t concern the growing talent either, continuing: “Going against men who are bigger than me, men who are stronger than me, for me, that’s exciting. I look forward to those games. It shows where I’m at against the best. I don’t look at those games and feel scared or nervous.”
His growth as a player and a commercial entity has resulted in further rewards, with a reported £400,000-a-year contract being issued by Northampton Saints to retain his services. But the multi-year deal hasn’t fazed him.
“It gives you motivation to keep striving to be better each day,” he said. “I don’t read that and think I need to prove anything. I just need to do my job each week, and hopefully the rest comes naturally.”
The full interview is available in the new issue of Men’s Health UK.
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