4 Saints gamers had been named in Farrell’s squad with Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith all becoming a member of Pollock, who watched the announcement with plenty of his team-mates.

“I walked out of the room and tried to cellphone my mum, who did not choose up which was class,” he joked.

“I then known as mum and pa they usually had been balling their eyes out crying.

“I’m simply so completely happy that I’ve made them completely happy, I’m honoured.”

Pollock was chosen as an alternative of Toulouse flanker Jack Willis, Sale Sharks’ Ben Curry and Scotland’s Rory Darge, with Farrell admitting that, ultimately, he didn’t want convincing about deciding on the one-cap flanker.

An all-action show on either side of the ball in opposition to Leinster, who’ve 12 gamers heading on the Lions tour, confirmed Pollock can compete with the perfect and he plans to indicate that in Australia.

He faces powerful again row competitors in Eire’s Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier, England pair Tom Curry and Ben Earl, and Wales captain Jac Morgan, however stays assured of including worth.

“It’s the pinnacle of the game and all the things that you simply work for and wish to obtain in rugby,” he added.

“I hope to carry a special X-factor and simply be myself. I’m not going to go there and go into my shell, I’m simply going to be myself and hopefully carry a special aspect to the squad than different gamers.”