Pocock wins Force MVP rugby award
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Brumbies-bound flanker David Pocock has left the Western Force on a winning note, taking out the franchise’s Super Rugby Player of the Year award.
Pocock polled 261 votes to finish ahead of retiring inaugural captain Nathan Sharpe (210) and recently appointed club captain Matt Hodgson (196).
Prop Pek Cowan (178) and winger Nick Cummins (176) rounded out the top five.
Pocock accepted the award with a heavy heart, knowing it marked the final phase of his glittering career with the Force.
Although the 24-year-old never tasted team success in Perth, his individual career has grown in leaps and bounds to the point where he has even captained the Wallabies.
Pocock said the close relationships he had formed with his fellow players made it hard to leave the club for the Brumbies.
“There are definitely mixed emotions,” Pocock said after being announced as the winner on Saturday night.
“I’ve loved my time at the Force but now that’s come to an end.
“With rugby being a team sport, I’m a little bit uncomfortable with individual awards, but when it’s voted on by your teammates that’s really special.
“They’re the ones you’re working hard for, the ones you need to impress and that’s where the enjoyment comes from.
“You’d always trade in a man of the match or any sort of accolades for a win but to be voted for by your peers over a season is special.”
Emerging prop Salesi Manu, 21, took out the Rising Star award, while Cummins was named the Members’ MVP.
Lock Toby Lynn won the Force Man award as the player who best exhibited the club’s ethos and values.
The Force won just three of 16 games in 2012, and have since appointed Michael Foley in a director-of-rugby role for the next three years.
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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments
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- David Pocock, Rugby Union, Super Rugby, Western Force
August 6th 2012 @ 1:57pm
winston said | August 6th 2012 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
should be OVP
i.e. Only……
August 6th 2012 @ 8:30pm
atlas said | August 6th 2012 @ 8:30pm | Report comment
And on Wednesday we can look forward to the Waratahs awards night: “to celebrate the milestones and achievements of the 2012 season”
August 6th 2012 @ 9:25pm
Blue Blood said | August 6th 2012 @ 9:25pm | Report comment
No surprise that the top 4 best players for the Force were all forwards. Hodgson (before injury) and Cowan have been overlooked by Deans far too often.
Not surprised that Pocock won but for him I thought he had a strong world cup hangover for the first 3rd of the year. Hodgson played far stronger early and was just as consistent all season. The Force have wisely made him captain.
Sad to see Sharpe get bridesmaid for the 3rd time. Silver sucks, just ask our Olympians.
Great to see Toby Lynn get the Force Man Award. Shows he has been a great recruit for the Force on and off the pitch. He’ll be needed next year and Wykes needs to come back strong from his injuries this year.
Salese Manu was my pick for the Rising star, I won $100 bucks on that bet do thanks mate. He certainly outplayed Salese Ma’afu this year hands down. He actually plays like he wants to be there. Ma’afu could learn a lot about heart from this young man.
Nick Cummins as the Members MVP was no surprise. I also wasnt surprised that his acceptance speech was appalling, he barely answered a question logically and kept repeating the same thing. Confirms that he is a natural blonde and a great instinct player as most of us have assumed. I hope you have a long rugby career Cummo. Not sure what your work prospects would be like when you retire.
Shout out to Matt Dunning the MC for the night. Great pub humour and naturally got great chats going with most of the players on stage. Insider jokes were well placed and had the crowd entertained.
Sharpe was well honoured and gave a great endorsement of the coach and the team for 2013. He will be missed by the entire WA rugby community. Not that I think that that will be the last we see of that shining head.
RugbyWA. The booze and food were terrible for $200/ticket. But the faithful who attended still had a great night and all players graciously chatted and interacted all night with any punter who was so inclined.
August 6th 2012 @ 11:00pm
RebelRanger said | August 6th 2012 @ 11:00pm | Report comment
Couldn’t they have fixed the results and given it to someone staying at the Force?
August 7th 2012 @ 8:29am
Blue Blood said | August 7th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Our table thought the same thing. Even Sharpe would have been better!
August 7th 2012 @ 12:36pm
Wilson said | August 7th 2012 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Blue Blood I agree with your summary. Dunning was hilarious and a great way so show a long standing culture within the club with connections last past retirement with great blokes.
It was a pity that Pocock got the top award. More negative PR for the club and they just didn’t need it. He was solid this year but I agree Sharpe or Hodgson played more consistently. As Hodgson has won twice before it would have been great if Sharpe had got over the line in his last year. At least he is leaving on good terms. Pocock, not so much. Who accepts the captaincy to only walk away at the end of your first season as captain? Disappointing and selfish. If you’d turned it down then Hodgson would have been captain for a year and you leaving would have been less detrimental to the club in a tough year. I must remember that you are a young man who has had a very blessed career and great talent; but you are still a young man.
The Food and Drinks was crappy. Fish, then tasteless/dry chicken. Hardly a meal for a rugby crowd. And the wine was below average. The wine sponsor should be ashamed. A great opportunity to show case some decent drop and that is what we got for $195/head? Bad PR central.
August 11th 2012 @ 9:27am
Crazy Horse said | August 11th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Note that whilst the heirachy named Pocock, the fans voted Cummins as the team’s MVP.
As for the food and especially drink, considering the absolute crap they serve at games, does it surprise you that their catering is not good?