Latest news with #Pollock
Wales Online
a day ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban The England international was at the centre of a clash at the end of the Champions Cup final Henry Pollock explained that there was an incident that instigated his altercation with Bordeaux players. (Image: TNT SPORTS ) Henry Pollock has broken his silence on the violence that kicked off after the Champions Cup final in Cardiff. Bordeaux faced Northampton Saints in European rugby's showpiece event in the Welsh capital last weekend, with the French side winning 28-20 and securing their first-ever European trophy. However, shortly after the full-time whistle, attention was drawn to the immediate aftermath, with Pollock getting stuck into it with Bordeaux prop Jefferson Poirot. The Frenchman was subsequently cited for grabbing Pollock's throat and will now miss his side's final two games of the Top 14 regular season. Pollock and team-mate Tommy Freeman appeared as guests on the latest episode of TNT Sports' The Rugby Breakdown Show and touched on the post-match melee. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The British & Irish Lions bolter was asked about the incident and told the tale from his perspective. "The whistle goes, and obviously it's pretty heated. I think Dingers (Fraser Dingwall) and (Matthieu) Jalibert were pushing and shoving," Pollock told TNT Sports. "I went over to Jalibert, pushed him and got involved, and was like: 'I'm not letting Dingers be on his own here'. "And then as I'm doing this – I didn't know this in the moment, Fin (Smith) was looking around – apparently the loosehead (Poirot) was on the bench and beelined it straight to me. "So we're in this, and he basically grabs my neck and gets his hands on my throat and squeezes my neck," he added. "I wasn't happy with this, I was pretty angry. "I managed to rip his shirt, and then the bit that you see is as he turns away, I push him, and then his friend comes in. "We had to do statements after. It was mad, you've just won the Champions Cup and the first thing you want to do is run on and strangle a 20-year-old." On Bordeaux players mimicking Pollock's celebration after their victory, David Flatman asked Freeman whether he was a fan of it. "I wouldn't say I love it," began Freeman. "I would actually say, if they want to do that, and make you (Pollock) the front line of their celebrations, then fair play. "He's probably got a bit of a target on his back, through no fault of his own." You can watch the clip below. Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below Twenty-year-old Pollock has one game left of the regular season with Saints before taking on Australia with the Lions. He will be the youngest Lion on tour, and like Louis Rees-Zammit in 2021, has the responsibility of carrying BIL the stuffed lion for the entirety of the tour. The young English star will get his first opportunity to play for the Lions when they face Argentina in the opening match of the tour on June 20.
New York Times
a day ago
- Health
- New York Times
How National Park Rangers Protect Themselves From Bugs (and How You Can Too)
Clothing that offers plenty of coverage should be your first line of defense against buzzing, biting pests. The less skin you leave exposed, the fewer bites you'll endure, so if you're venturing into buggy territory, wear long sleeves, long pants, tall socks, and closed-toe shoes. 'That might seem counterintuitive when it's super hot out, but being dressed correctly for the environment that you're going into really can make or break your day,' said Gantt. Park rangers recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants if you plan to explore a buggy area. Everglades National Park for NYT Wirecutter Loose clothing is more effective at preventing bug bites than anything form-fitting, Gantt added. Tight clothes, like workout leggings, lie right against your body and offer only a thin barrier between a mosquito and your skin. Loose-fitting clothes that hang off your body create more distance, so even if a mosquito were to land on you, it would have a harder time finding your skin. A lightweight, long-sleeved shirt is a good option if you're headed to a warm, humid climate. Something made of UPF fabric will help protect you from the sun, as well as any bugs that come your way. Consider the Bluesmiths Kanaha Hydrophopic Shirt or the Patagonia RØ, which Wirecutter's outdoor experts recommend in our guide to beach gear. As with shirts, pants that are loose and lightweight are an ideal choice. Consider Marmot PreCip Eco Pants, Wirecutter's pick for rain pants. They're made of nylon ripstop fabric, a thick material that bugs aren't as likely to pierce. Yet they're breathable enough that you won't feel sweaty or clammy after walking around. Pair your long pants with some tall socks, like these extra-long Farm to Feet Damascus Light Targeted Cushion Crew socks from our guide to hiking socks. 'It's very easy to take preventative measures' when you're visiting an area that's teeming with ticks, explained Pollock. In addition to 'trying to stay away from tall vegetation,' she said she recommends tucking pant legs into a pair of socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs. According to Wirecutter's outdoor experts, the Farm to Feet socks offer more coverage and protection than shorter socks. Plus, it's a lot easier to tuck your pants into them. Gantt said her favorite piece of gear to put on when she's surrounded by buzzing pests is an NPS-issued jacket. It's made of layers of tightly hatched mesh that mosquitoes and other small biting bugs, like no-see-ums, can't infiltrate. Though we can't all get kitted out by the NPS, we asked our staff if they owned anything similar. Wirecutter staff writer Evan Dent said he wore The Original: Bug Shirt when he worked in wooded areas as a canoe-trip guide in northern Ontario, and this long-sleeved hoodie is made from densely woven material that bugs can't bite through. Plus, the mesh sleeves and side cut-outs allow cooling breezes to pass through, and the sleeves and waist have drawstring closers that seal the garment from biting pests. It also has a zippered hood, which includes a netted face mesh covering and can fit over a baseball cap. Gantt said that many Everglades rangers and visitors wear headnets when mosquitoes are especially active. Writer Trey French likes to pull on his Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net when 'things get biblical' on his hikes through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The soft polyester mesh fabric net effectively blocks bugs, keeping them out of your face and, maybe more critically, your mouth. It's treated with an odorless repellent that's effective through 40 washes, and it has an elasticized draw cord that creates a seal to keep bugs out. A head net that fits over a hat can help keep mosquitoes, flies, and other small flying insects out of your face. Everglades National Park for NYT Wirecutter
France 24
2 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Wallaby Samu relishing post-Top 14 reunion with 'awesome' Pollock
Experienced Samu and promising Pollock, 20, met in last Saturday's Champions Cup final in Cardiff as the French outfit lifted the trophy for the first time. The 33-year-old now turns his head to Saturday's Top 14 trip to Toulon before a move to the Waratahs and staking his claim in the Wallabies team to face the Lions, with the first of three Tests on June 22. "He's an awesome player," Samu told AFP. "He's really young and has a bright future ahead of him. "Out there he's a great competitor and you see that in this competition and in the Premiership. "A great player, I wish him all the best and hopefully see him in a couple of months," the 33-time international added. The victory in the Welsh capital, Bordeaux-Begles' maiden major trophy after being founded in 2006, was followed by delirious scenes back in France. 'Great feeling' Samu was in the middle of the celebrations having scored four tries in five Champions Cup appearances this term. More than 40,000 people welcomed Samu and his team-mates for a bus parade and ceremony in the south-western city, better known for its wine production. "It's a great feeling," Samu said. "That's been the plan for the club for the past couple of seasons and to come away with it is very satisfying," the former Crusaders back-rower added. After the festivities, which also included a day in a beach restaurant on the sun-drenched Atlantic coast, Bordeaux-Begles head to Toulon. They are likely to rest a host of front-line players recovering from the Champions Cup final, and its aftermath. Third-placed Toulon are five points behind the newly-crowned Champions Cup winners in the Top 14 table with two rounds of the regular season to go, with Samu's side potentially a point away from securing semi-final spot. "It's going to be tough game against Toulon this week," Melbourne-born Samu said. "They're only a couple of points behind us," he added. Elsewhere this weekend, 14-time French champions Stade Francais can take a big step towards safety if they beat play-off chasing Clermont. Perpignan travel to La Rochelle and Vannes welcome Pau with the Catalans and Bretons also in the relegation scrap. Fixtures (all times GMT) Saturday Sunday © 2025 AFP
The 42
2 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Two-week ban for Champions Cup winner Poirot after altercation with Pollock
BORDEAUX-BEGLES PROP Jefferson Poirot was suspended for a fortnight on Thursday, following his altercation with Northampton no.8 Henry Pollock at the end of last weekend's Champions Cup final. The sanction rules the former France prop out of Bordeaux's last two regular season matches but he will be clear to take part in the play-offs. Bordeaux, who beat Northampton 28-20, are currently second in the table and in a strong position to go forward directly to the semi-finals. Advertisement Poirot had been cited by match commissioner Tim Lowry for committing an act contrary to sportsmanship towards Pollock just after the final whistle in Cardiff. He was accused of squeezing Pollock's throat in a dangerous manner likely to cause him serious injury. Poirot, who was heard via video-conference on Thursday by an independent disciplinary committee, admitted committing an act of foul play which merited a red card. The committee considered that the offence corresponded to the low end of World Rugby's scale of sanctions, so four weeks. This was reduced to two because Poirot admitted his guilt and has 'a good disciplinary record'. The 32-year-old will miss the next two Top 14 matches against Toulon and Vannes, but will be available again for either the play-off or the semi-final. – © AFP 2025
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Finlay Pollock doubtful for Hearts pre-season as he reveals help from a Tynecastle legend
SPFL loan at Raith Rovers helped the Riccarton kid develop Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts midfielder Finlay Pollock is doubtful whether he will be ready for new manager Derek McInnes' first pre-season programme. The 20-year-old suffered a season-ending hamstring injury on loan at Raith Rovers in April and underwent surgery. He is now in a race against time to be fit for pre-season training. McInnes was appointed by Hearts last week and is currently assessing and reshaping the first-team squad. Pollock is eager to prove himself to the new head coach when players report to Riccarton in the middle of next month, but he admitted he may need to wait a little longer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's touch and go whether I make pre-season,' he told the Hearts website. 'Hopefully I can make sort of mid-July or the end of July. That's the aim, if all goes well, to try and get back for then. I'll need to make sure I'm right before I come back.' Six goals in 25 Raith appearances amounted to a productive loan spell for Pollock in the Scottish Championship. He was moved from midfield to attack by Raith and is grateful to the club's assistant manager, Colin Cameron, for helping him develop. Cameron is an iconic Hearts figure who won the 1998 Scottish Cup with the club. SPFL Championship move helped by Hearts Scottish Cup winner 'Obviously he is a bit of a legend here [at Hearts],' acknowledged Pollock. 'My whole family know that and my dad reminds me how lucky I was to be with him each day. But he taught me on the pitch as well. Even if it was after training when we'd go out for second sessions. He just showed me where to be, different positions to keep and to hold and when to run, when to stay, when to come short, when to go long – all these different things. That just helped me on the pitch and it just improved me as a whole.' Pollock adjusted quickly to life as a striker after Raith shunted him forward from midfield last autumn. 'They [Raith] definitely saw my pace,' he said. 'That's one of my strengths and they saw that I could probably outrun centre-backs in the league, fairly comfortably. They always wanted me to stretch the game. They really wanted me to try and utilise my pace as much as possible against these defenders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad '[Cameron] let the rest of the team know that as well. That was sort of the main message for me to do that – and I got a lot of goals out of doing that as well. I learned a lot. The Championship was very tight, it was very competitive, very physical. So, you've got to adapt when you're on the pitch and use different parts of your body to protect the ball and keep the ball. And learn when to go forward, when to come short, all different aspects like that. Just getting a run at games like that helps you to learn and understand.'
