'Rightly so' - Finn Russell weighs in on fellow Eddie Hearn client Henry Pollock's £1m salary debate

The Scotland fly-half was a guest on the For The Love Of Rugby podcast to preview the 2026/27 Gallagher PREM season, which kicks off this weekend. His comments came after being asked about sporting promoter Eddie Hearn’s suggestion that Northampton Saints and England star Henry Pollock should be earning £1 million a year.

Russell and Pollock are both part of Hearn’s ‘Matchroom’ talent agency and the former Glasgow Warriors back described the 21-year-old as someone who has been “brilliant” for the game of rugby. Recent reports suggest that the sometimes controversial back rower has been offered a deal in the region of £400,000 to remain with the reigning champions but that negotiations have reached a stand off.

‘It’s tough’ - English rugby’s salary cap making things difficult says Finn Russell

“Pollock's been brilliant,” said Russell. “He's been brilliant for the league and for Northampton. He's probably bringing more viewers. It's just tough with the cap to fit players in with bigger salaries.

“I think everyone's demanding bigger salaries, so hopefully the cap starts going up soon. Rugby's getting more eyes on it, it's becoming more popular, so I'd imagine that sponsorship deals etc are getting bigger and bigger.

“So if players, rightly so, are demanding more money, the league will have to look at it and try and put the cap up, especially if they want to compete against the French clubs who are well above the cap over here.”

Russell also spoke about how his own working relationship with Hearn came about, adding: “I think it's great, I think it brings so many more eyes and so many more folk will be aware of rugby now. I think he went to a couple of the games in the Six Nations and then he kind of saw that and got into it a little bit from there.

“My agent, Matt Hart, used to work in the same group as Eddie in different sports, they kind of knew each other from there, so that's how they got in contact. I think in terms of what Eddie does, he's probably one of the best, or the best in the world.

“Rugby is a smaller sport compared to the sports that he's used to. It's brilliant to have him involved and have him getting more eyes on it for everyone, not just myself and Henry here with him, but for everyone in the sport.

“I think everyone's going to get a knock-on effect from this. I think it's brilliant and, with the league slightly changing, with bigger owners coming in and franchising each team out, I think that's what they're doing, or they've done. I'm not sure, but with that happening I think you'll start to see more and more money, and you'll see the league grow quite quickly now.”

The Scotland ace featured for Bath last weekend in their pre-season friendly against Glasgow at Old Anniesland. The English side, who named a full strength starting XV for the match, outclassed Franco Smith’s young side to run out 53-5 winners.

Russell’s Bath kick off their Gallagher PREM campaign on Friday night when they travel to Twickenham Stoop to take on Harlequins. He will face off against Henry Pollock’s Northampton Saints in round three on October 10.

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