Dowson backs Pollock as Saints boss insists no derogatory comments were made about Bordeaux

Phil Dowson (photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)placeholder image
Phil Dowson (photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Phil Dowson insists no one at Saints has made any derogatory comments about Union Bordeaux-Bègles.

And the director of rugby has backed Henry Pollock to deal with the way some of the French club's players - and even their head coach - have referenced him since claiming glory in Cardiff on Saturday.

Union Bordeaux-Bègles prop Jefferson Poirot has this week been cited after it was alleged he had 'grasped the throat' of Pollock after full-time at the Principality Stadium.

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Since that alleged incident, Bordeaux have taken to mocking Pollock in their Investec Champions Cup-winning celebrations.

Tevita Tatafu and Matthieu Jalibert, and even head coach Yannick Bru, were pictured mimicking Pollock's 'pulse check' try celebration, made famous after he scored against Leinster in the semi-final.

And Tatafu has even been pictured holding up a card that read 'Pollock calma calma' while holding his own throat, seemingly referencing the incident involving Poirot.

Fly-half Jalibert explained in his post-match interview why he and his team-mates had taken issue with Pollock.

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"I told him that he didn't know our club," Jalibert said. "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."

However, there has been no evidence to support Jalibert’s claims that Pollock said anything disrespectful about Bordeaux.

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And at Tuesday afternoon’s Saints media session, Dowson said: "If someone can find that quote, I'll be really interested because it's certainly not something we've come across.

"From my point of view, I can only talk about what I said, but I would back the playing group to the hilt in terms of their manner.

"We've been very complimentary about Bordeaux – about their class and quality as a playing group but also as a club.

"I haven't seen any evidence and neither has the media team here that we've used that language, or even alluded to that, or even inferred that in the subtext so I don't think that's necessarily fair.

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"Now, what they're driving as a narrative behind the scenes is different and is entirely their prerogative, but I don't think anyone from this group has suggested they're a group of mercenaries.

"Coaches pull on lots of levers - there's lots of times I've twisted different things.

"But I think that 1. Our group are principled enough not to describe anyone like that, and 2. They're not stupid enough to do it and motivate a group like that in a final. I just don't think we're that dumb.

"We're media savvy and well managed in that space, so I don't think that's happened.

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"Coaches and management will pull loads of levers in order to get a response, and maybe that's what's happened."

On how 20-year-old back row forward Pollock has dealt with the attention the Bordeaux players have put on him, Dowson said: "It's an experience he'll learn from and I think he's bright enough and mature enough to deal with it.

"It speaks volumes about his performance levels throughout the season that he's garnered so much attention both with the media and with their team.

"It's a learning experience for him and he's getting a feel for what that looks like in future.

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"The way he plays and the way he is as a person, it won't be the last time somebody responds to him, and that's actually really powerful for the game because lots of kids running around, wanting his shirt and dressing like Henry Pollock is very positive.

"There's lots of people on opposition sides who don't like him, that's going to happen.

"We normalise it, it happens and we get on with it."

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