England's Henry Pollock nominated for rugby's Breakthrough Player award

England's rising star, Henry Pollock, has secured a spot on the prestigious shortlist for World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year. At just 20 years old, Pollock made quite an impression during the British and Irish Lions' summer tour of Australia, notably scoring two tries in his international debut against Wales back in March. Although he didn't feature in a Lions Test, the Northampton player continued to shine, earning three more caps for England this autumn. In a recent 25-7 victory over the Wallabies on November 1st, he even added another try to his growing list of accomplishments. If Pollock clinches the award, he will be the first Englishman to do so since Maro Itoje in 2016. Joining Pollock on the shortlist are other standout players: New Zealand's Fabian Holland, South Africa's Ethan Hooker, and Australia's Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Meanwhile, France's Louis Bielle-Biarrey has been nominated for the prestigious World Rugby Player of the Year title after an outstanding performance in the 2025 Six Nations, where he managed to score a remarkable eight tries. On a related note, Pieter-Steph du Toit, the reigning world player of the year and a previous winner in 2019, finds himself once again on the shortlist this year. He is accompanied by his South African teammates Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche. The winners of both accolades will be revealed this Saturday, adding an extra layer of excitement to the rugby community's anticipation.