Angry France rugby stars try to attack England international as rivalry explodes | Rugby | Sport

Bordeaux-Begles players have been accused of ‘charging’ England sensation Henry Pollock at the end of the Champions Cup final. Northampton Saints star Pollock appeared to be grabbed around the neck at the end of the match, which ended with Bordeaux being crowned European champions.

French players believed Pollock had stoked tensions between the two teams with comments he made in the build-up to the match. Some of their stars then marked their 28-20 victory by imitating the 20-year-old’s celebration, which sees him place two fingers on his upper neck as if he is checking his pulse. That came after he was at the centre of a fracas between both sets of players after the game.

Pollock, who will feature for the British and Irish Lions in the summer, seemed to suggest that his neck was grabbed. Opposing teams have 24 hours after a match to report an incident if they believe a red card offence has taken place.

Fellow Saints star Fin Smith was baffled by the Bordeaux reaction, accusing them of starting a fight with a young player despite winning the trophy.

“They were after him, I don’t think they like him,” Smith said. “He’ll be alright, but they all charged him and tried to get hold of him.

“I’m surprised if you’ve just won a European Cup that the first thing you do is try and start a fight with a 20-year-old, but fair play. I thought that was interesting.”

Pollock is said to have been visibly upset when the players returned to their respective dressing rooms. Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson hinted that there could be an appeal over ‘foul play’. “There was a fracas at the end, there was foul play involved,” he said.

“Henry Pollock was particularly upset by it because I think it was uncalled for and out of order. He reacted, and the officials have told me that they will deal with it.”

However, Bordeaux fly-half Matthieu Jalibert accused Pollock of being disrespectful before the game. “I told him (Pollock) that he didn’t know our club,” Jalibert told the BBC. “They said some things in the press which we didn’t really appreciate.

“They said that we were a club of mercenaries who are here for the money. I just told him that he doesn’t know our history, where we came from and that he must respect all clubs. I know it is their way of preparing for matches, but they must have respect too.”