It’ll be a Rocky Road for Ireland against Wallabies

 
David Pocock Roar Rookie

By , 13 Nov 2009 David Pocock is a Roar Rookie

Tagged:
 , , , , ,

45 Have your say

Related coverage



Australia's Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, cenetr, along with his teammates take a short break during the team's practice session at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, a day before the Bledisloe Cup rugby match against New Zealand's All Blacks. AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama

Australia's Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, cenetr, along with his teammates take a short break during the team's practice session at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, a day before the Bledisloe Cup rugby match against New Zealand's All Blacks. AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama

We’re settled into Dublin now. It’s cold and has rained most days, but training has been good and it’s a great city. Despite the weather there’s a lot to do and see away from training. The people are very friendly and seem pretty passionate about their rugby. And Rocky Elsom!

That’s all they seem to talk about. It’s become a bit of a team joke: he seems to be the darling of Leinster rugby.

Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and myself were all on the Australian Schoolboys tour in 2005 that came over here. On that tour, we played at Donnybrook in front of a modest, but very vocal crowd.

On Sunday, it’s at the hallowed Irish turf of Croke Park, with all tickets already sold. We’re expecting 82,000 screaming Irishmen and women, with possibly a sprinkle of gold somewhere in the crowd.

The Aussies in the crowd at Twickenham were great. At times they were louder than the English crowd. That was so good to hear at Twickenham!

It was great to get the win against the English.

We hung tough and managed to get there in the end. Despite the win, we are very aware of the fact that we’ll have to be better this weekend to beat the Irish.

And if we weren’t, the Irish would be very willing to inform us of this fact. As one Irishman I was chatting to at the airport told me, “I hope you lads play as well as you did against England, because then we’ll beat you.”

I’m very excited to be starting this weekend, and all the journalists seem to want to know is “how are things between you and George?”

And every time I just tell them the truth: things are great.

He’s the first person to congratulate me after the team is announced and always tells me that if I need any tips or help with anything, he’s always available. It just goes to show the kind of person he is, and how he has achieved as much as he has, and why he is so well-loved in the team and by the rugby public in general.

I’m rooming with Quade Cooper, who is a good roomy (and no, he didn’t tell me to say that), but it does mean that I’m also rooming with James O’Connor.

I’m not certain, but they seem to be joined at the hip.

I don’t mind at all, though. There are always a lot of laughs with them around.

Last night we went to Nando’s together and James decided that we each needed to have a teaspoon of Nando’s X Sauce (I haven’t seen it in Australia but it’s short for “extra extra hot peri-peri”).

It would be some kind of initiation ceremony. For what, I’m not sure, but it seemed like a good thing to do while we waited for our meals.

I’m usually a “lemon & herb” person so the “X” was ridiculously hot, especially after the rule was introduced that you had to keep it in your mouth for five seconds before swallowing it.

Needless to say, we all sweated and drank litres of water for the rest of the meal.

It’s a bit different having a Sunday game this week, but it gives us more time to prepare and recover after the England game. So we’re all looking forward to getting out there on Sunday!

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.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.

Get a daily rugby union email

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it.

We value privacy. More.