'He's an idiot, but he's our idiot' - Saints fans on Pollock contract stand-off

Henry Pollock is determined not to blink first in his contractual face-off.

Despite a deal with Northampton being close, amid reports of an agreement of about £400,000 a year, , external the back row stressed on Monday that his renewal was not signed.

Asked if he was looking forward to the end of the saga, stoked by Pollock's advisor Eddie Hearn, Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson joked that "it would have been good to have it sorted three weeks ago".

The haggling has certainly played out more publicly than most negotiations.

Has it taken some of the sheen off a player who was key to Saints winning the Prem title last season and whose public profile has brought new supporters and attention, not just to his club but to his sport in general?

Lis Saunders is the chair of the Northampton Saints Supporters Group.

"I have known Henry coming up through the academy and he is absolutely delightful," she told BBC Sport.

"The perception of his arrogance is wrong. He is just a young bouncy man, living his best life.