Wallabies will bring discipline to All Blacks clash
Roar Rookie By David Pocock, 21 Aug 2009 David Pocock is a Roar Rookie
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- All Blacks, ANZ stadium, Bledisloe Cup, James OConnor, Phil Waugh, Rugby Union, Tri Nations, wallabies
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The All Blacks at ANZ stadium on Saturday is a game the Wallabies need no motivating for in order to get fired up about. They don’t get much bigger than this – and it’s a must-win to keep our Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup hopes alive.
It’s fantastic to be back in Australia after our last two matches were away.
We’ve had a good ten day camp leading into this game, working hard on the areas we identified that we need to improve on.
The intensity at training has been right up there – with James O’Connor and Phil Waugh even getting into a bit of a scuffle during one of the contact drills.
There was really nothing in it – just a heat of the moment push and shove (luckily for little James!). I actually think it’s a good thing to have the odd push and shove at training between players – it’s certainly a good sign that players are pushing each other to train hard, and once training is over its back to being mates.
One of the great things about sport is that you usually get a chance the next week to move on and change your fortunes – and that is something that we are all determined to do come Saturday night.
There’s a real sense among the group that we’re moving forward (albeit slower than we’d obviously like) and are determined to get into the “winning habit” after losing two games that we know we could have played a lot better in.
The next three weeks are very exciting.
It’s New Zealand this weekend and then two games against South Africa (in Perth and Brisbane) and you get the feeling that this is our chance to move forward as a group and prove that we can win games back-to-back in the Tri-Nations, bringing that composure and discipline we have probably lacked in the first two games.
All the hard work has been done for the week on the training field and now all is left is to prepare ourselves mentally so we’re ready to come out firing.
If we can bring that composure under pressure and discipline I mentioned, as a team, I think it’ll be a good night.
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David Pocock is a current Wallaby and columnist for The Roar. The ex-Zimbabwean plays for the Western Force in the Super 14 competition. He is the founder of the charity Eightytwenty Vision.
- Explore:
- All Blacks, ANZ stadium, Bledisloe Cup, James OConnor, Phil Waugh, Rugby Union, Tri Nations, wallabies
August 21st 2009 @ 12:56pm
ohtani's jacket said | August 21st 2009 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
David, best of luck. I hope your team plays well.
August 21st 2009 @ 1:00pm
reds fan said | August 21st 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
Good luck David. And well done with the charity work. No one will ever be able to accuse you of being a professional footballer with too much time on their hands.
Go the Wallabies!!!!
P.S. Please please please please come back to QLD and play for the Reds! And bring Richard with you!
August 21st 2009 @ 2:11pm
stillmissit said | August 21st 2009 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
Who needs Melon – I disagree. Whenever players or coaches post here they get a very easy trot from the roarers. In fact to comparing the comments to what is said to a player there is light and day.
David Pocock – you have more natural talent and ability than any breakaway I have seen in 35 years of watching the Wallabies. I personally believe you will one day captain the team.
Stop pissing around writing columns and show us what you can do on the field with your god given talent.
August 21st 2009 @ 4:00pm
Who Needs Melon said | August 21st 2009 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
You’re right – I guess we’re mostly sensible enough to see the value of their contribution and not to piss them off.
August 21st 2009 @ 5:24pm
Zac Zavos said | August 21st 2009 @ 5:24pm | Report comment
I don’t understand your point here, Stillmissit.
We have a Wallaby giving his time to share his thoughts on the game with us all – and you see a problem with this?
They get an ‘easy trot’ in comments because they have done enough to earn respect, and I think this is right.
August 21st 2009 @ 5:44pm
Darryl SA said | August 21st 2009 @ 5:44pm | Report comment
I have to agree with Zac here. We all love to throw in our 2c on this forum because we’re passionate about the sport, but truth be told few of us have played rugby union at any level worth boasting about, and we’re mostly just armchair specialists. So it’s great to get insight from somebody actually spilling their blood on the field of international rugby.
I liken it to my appreciation for the commentary of Martin Brundle in Formula One races. I always enjoyed listening to Murray Walker because he had a clear passion for what he did and knew a lot of what went on behind the scenes, but Brundle brings that insider view that you can’t get from somebody like Murray Walker who has not sat in the seat of an F1 driver.
August 21st 2009 @ 7:06pm
stillmissit said | August 21st 2009 @ 7:06pm | Report comment
Zac – You are a journalist and as such I fully understand your viewpoint and the advantages that David Pocock brings to the Roar. I am a mere ex player and Wallaby support of many years and would rather see players focussing their attention on the battle ahead rather than writing articles on blogs just before a test. After their time is done or if there are no tests due in the immediate future then by all means comment on the game in any media they choose.
BTW I didn’t realise he was born in Zimbawe.
Starting to get a little excited about Saturday and the game. I have my fingers crossed and will watch Davids efforts with even more attention than normal.
August 21st 2009 @ 2:25pm
ThelmaWrites said | August 21st 2009 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
David
Great psychological thrust to have the team goals articulated by written word.. More power to you and your team!
August 21st 2009 @ 3:22pm
Prancing Manchief said | August 21st 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
WOW! I’m gone for a little while and suddenly David Pocock and Chris Laidlaw are submitting articles here. Pretty neat! Even better is this new option allowing me to edit my posts, me being the worst person for typos.
Good luck David.
August 21st 2009 @ 3:44pm
Sam Taulelei said | August 21st 2009 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
For Wallaby supporters hope the result is different from last time you submitted an article David.
August 21st 2009 @ 10:14pm
Knives Out said | August 21st 2009 @ 10:14pm | Report comment
Ouch. You zinged ‘em, Sam.
August 21st 2009 @ 4:29pm
Going for a surf said | August 21st 2009 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts David.
Just give it to em !
You have a great defence.
Run through them !
Run over them !
Smash them at the break down !
Carve them up out wide!
Your the only team in this comp who look like scoring a Decent try.
Keep going and put a stop to this rubbish that is being dished up by NZ
and especially SA.
Feel like i’ve been watching rugby from the dark ages
August 21st 2009 @ 4:40pm
Working Class Rugger said | August 21st 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
Bringing discipline to the Wallabies play would be a start. But it’s the composure issue I’d really like to see ammended. In the first two Tri-Nations matches we have jumped out of the gate only to lose it and faulter. If we could put together a full 80 minutes with the same composure and intent we tend to in the first 10 we’d be pretty hard to beat.
Saying that. Good luck. Good to see a current player on The Roar. Hope it will be a regular thing and we get some feedback.
August 21st 2009 @ 4:59pm
Pieter said | August 21st 2009 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
Just a few comments about the Arrogant Whingers. The game the Springboks play is a winning game.
The traffic is one-way because of their forwards. In Order to stop this the only way is to play negatively and infringe.
George Smith’s sent off was a blatant interference and stop of a possible try. A Good example.
The same Trent would be with the way the Springbok forwards are dominating . So it is natural to try and stop this by giving away penalties. But the flipside of the coin is then it is true what De Villiers has said – Stop a try at all costs. What you an lots of People are howling about is no tries. But why the Penalty rate => because the person interfered with the normal play which would have led to possible tries and opening of the game. Even if it are tries made by forwards going forward.
The ELV’s so called aim is to limit penalties but then encourages interference with possible tries because instead if a 7 Pointer – no score and momentum lost. At least a Penalty gives the team going forward the consolation “try” which is really only 3 points. What i say is that if not stopped by illegal play it would have led to a try.
Proven by when South Africa was on Australia’s try line for long periods eventually losing the ball. Also debatable if the Australians were not infringing. Why do refs warn the players to leave the ball ? Firstly they were offside already and in the way of the attacking side?
If you want to play touch Rugby or league then play it. Rugby union has always been about forwards and backline.
You do forget the 53-8 scoreline the otherday. AND the Worldcup demolition of England in their first game.Interesting that both those teams from the same group were in the final .
Did you watch the game on FoxTel ? The commentators were pathetic whiners/winger’s. They should listen just to the soundtrack afterward. Interesting was the forward passes moaned about , but none said about the one eventually leading to an advantage and later towards Giteau’s try.
The flying Matt Giteau(did he have Red Bull..) incident/”tackle” wasn’t even mentioned. Correct to yellow card as he did go for the Player and not the ball. Problem here is inconsistency in suspending players. Fourie du Preez is getting hit like this many times. Last time the worse case i have seen of a All Black player going in with both knees into his kidneys and still not cited. How many of these will it takes before Du Preez is written off ? It is fair going for him in fair tackles but serious injury type of actions is going on here – To take him out completely. So here leniency is going to cause what ?
If this was any South African player going through the air like Giteau what would have happened? Red Card and suspended ?
Australia should use its chance next weekend with a NZ ref.
Anyway,
Enjoy this weekend’s game – it should be a cracker of a game,
August 22nd 2009 @ 12:10am
ohtani's jacket said | August 22nd 2009 @ 12:10am | Report comment
Please, the Springboks couldn’t score a try if the opposition stood still with their hands in the air.
Every time the Springboks tackle a back they drop an elbow or shoulder into the player. They hit every kicker late.
August 21st 2009 @ 5:31pm
tarpo said | August 21st 2009 @ 5:31pm | Report comment
Thanks David, for taking the time to write the article.
Give it everything tommorrow, all the best to you & the team.
“All you can do is all you can do, but all you cans enough”