Brumbies can add to Pocock’s game
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Brumbies coach Jake White has hailed prize recruit David Pocock as the franchise’s greatest ever signing and is excited about what they can add to the champion flanker’s already formidable game.
Pocock, the incumbent Australia captain, will play for the Brumbies for the next three Super Rugby seasons after deciding to leave Western Force where he was also the skipper.
“I really think that the Brumbies brand .. the way we play is probably going to help him in parts of his game that he probably hasn’t been lucky enough to be able to do in teams he has played (for) previously,” White told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
“I’m excited in that I know what he can bring to the Brumbies and what he can bring to our team, but I’m just as excited about what we can add to his game from an individual point of view.”
White said Pocock had not once broached then subject of captaincy during their discussions.
Current Brumbies leader and back rower Ben Mowen made it clear he would have no qualms about stepping aside for Pocock.
“If Jake taps me on the shoulder at the start of next year and says Poey is the man to lead us forward, I’m seriously fine with that,” Mowen told reporters.
“I want to be in an environment where we are constantly challenging each other and I would expect that David arrives with ambitions to be the captain one day, whether that’s next year or the year after.”
White acknowledged greater external expectations of the Brumbies would accompany Pocock’s arrival, but said that would have been the case even if the flanker hadn’t signed, given the team’s huge improvement this year.
“I’d rather be in a situation when people expect us to do well; not make up the numbers,” White said.
He revealed he had two spots left in his 30-man roster and was probably looking for another lock and centre.
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The Crowd Says (5) | Page 1 of Comments
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- Brumbies, David Pocock, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
July 31st 2012 @ 6:36am
Kuruki said | July 31st 2012 @ 6:36am | Report comment
To be perfectly honest i would have secured Hooper and spent the money elsewhere. Pocock is brilliant but Hooper is going to be very very good also. As far as value for money i reckon they lost out on that swap.
July 31st 2012 @ 8:38am
Rob from Brumby Country said | July 31st 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Hooper was never going to stay. He’s a Manly boy through and through, and he was always going to go home at the first sign of actual awareness of his ability from the ‘Tahs.
July 31st 2012 @ 10:04am
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | July 31st 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Jake said “……..the way we play is probably going to help him in parts of his game that he probably hasn’t been lucky enough to be able to do in teams he has played (for) previously”.
Does he mean that neither the Force nor the Wallabies have been able to make best use of his skills?
July 31st 2012 @ 11:27am
Garryown said | July 31st 2012 @ 11:27am | Report comment
An awful lot of crap from White..Richie Macaw prospered under Mitchel’s coaching when he started his international career and Pocock had the benefit of his coaching when he went to the Force.. To desert the Force players who also helped him in his process doesn’t exactly speak well of his talents as a captain—-loyalty to your mates is paramount !. The sooner Horwell is able to play again the better the chances the Wallabies will have this international season. Neither will the all Blacks or South Africa give Pocock an easy time and it will be interesting to see how he survives against them and the Argentinians with whom he has practically no experience of their type of robust forward play.
August 1st 2012 @ 1:22pm
B-Rock said | August 1st 2012 @ 1:22pm | Report comment
A great signing for the Brumbies – they are looking like a top 6 team next year if healthy.
Poor Force. Not only do they lose Pocock and Sharpe, they “win” Foley – the worst coach in SR. They will be lucky to win a game next year.