Northampton Saints flanker Henry Pollock has described his selection for the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia as "the best day of his life". The 20-year-old, who started the year playing for England in the Under-20 Six Nations, was named in Andy Farrell's 38-strong squad on Thursday, marking a rapid rise in his career.

Pollock, who scored two tries on his England senior debut against Wales in March, has been a standout performer for Saints, helping them reach the Investec Champions Cup final on 24 May. "It sounds mad [to say I am a British and Irish Lion]. I am honoured and can't really believe it," Pollock told BBC Look East.

Pollock's inclusion generated the loudest cheer from about 2,000 fans inside Indigo, a venue within London's O2 Arena complex. The youngest player in the squad, Pollock won World Rugby's Under-20 Championship in July with England, before making his first Premiership start in October.

"We were all watching it and hoping for the best and when it got announced, all the boys jumped on me," Pollock recalled. "It was a feeling I will never forget. It was probably the best day of my life."

Pollock has established himself in Northampton's competitive back row, and on Saturday scored a sensational solo try by showing incredible pace to round Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast in their Champions Cup semi-final win in Dublin.

Pollock was selected instead of Toulouse flanker Jack Willis, Sale Sharks' Ben Curry and Scotland's Rory Darge, with Farrell admitting that, in the end, he did not need convincing about selecting the one-cap flanker.

An all-action display on both sides of the ball against Leinster, who have 12 players heading on the Lions tour, showed Pollock can compete with the best and he plans to show that in Australia.

He faces tough back row competition in Ireland's Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier, England pair Tom Curry and Ben Earl, and Wales captain Jac Morgan, but remains confident of adding value.

"It is the pinnacle of the sport and everything that you work for and want to achieve in rugby," he added. "I hope to bring a different X-factor and just be myself. I am not going to go there and go into my shell, I am just going to be myself and hopefully bring a different side to the squad than other players."

Four Saints players were named in Farrell's squad with Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith all joining Pollock, who watched the announcement with a number of his team-mates.

"I walked out of the room and tried to phone my mum, who didn't pick up which was class," he joked. "I then called mum and dad and they were balling their eyes out crying. I am just so happy that I've made them happy, I am honoured."