First, the good news. David Pocock’s decision to take a one-year sabbatical from Australian rugby next year will likely extend the champion flanker’s career.
But here’s the bad news for Wallabies fans: we may have just lost our chance of regaining the Bledisloe Cup in the near future.
Losing Pocock would be an enormous blow in any year. He is perhaps the finest forward in the world and currently would be the only Australian guaranteed to be selected in the All Blacks’ run-on side.
However, there are a couple of reasons why Pocock’s absence may cruel the Wallabies’ chance of regaining that coveted trophy in 2017.
The All Blacks are vulnerable for the next two or three years. A slew of champion players have now retired or are playing overseas. While Australia have also lost some vital cattle such as Sekope Kepu and Adam Ashley-Cooper, none are of the same calibre as Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Ma’a Nonu.
All three were critical in last year’s World Cup final, and the All Blacks will be significantly weakened by losing these magnificent players. The players that will replace them will not immediately be as good as their predecessors.
However, the brutal reality is it’s hard to see the Wallabies winning the Bledisloe this year when two out of the three games are played in New Zealand. In 2016, even a fully-fit team with an in-form Pocock is going to struggle to win the series.
The Wallabies take on the All Blacks in Sydney during the first weekend in the Rugby Championship. It would be within the home side’s grasp to overcome a team that is traditionally a little slow to start tournaments. That said, Australia haven’t won in New Zealand since 2001 in Dunedin, so the Wallabies will make history if they win in Wellington on August 27. If they force a decider, then the Wallabies will have to face the All Blacks in their fortress, Eden Park.
Game over.
In 2017, two matches will be played in Australia and the Wallabies perform better against the All Blacks at home, but to beat them the Australians need to dominate the All Blacks’ forwards and this is where Pocock’s absence will be clearly felt.
Pocock is the complete footballer. He’s the best pilferer in the world, fantastic at organising the rolling maul and a tough defender who never seems to tire. He is a leader who can galvanise his team and plays with ferocious intensity for the full 80 minutes. His running skills, thought to be a relative weakness, have improved exponentially under Steven Larkham’s tutelage at the Brumbies.
The glowing praise Pocock earned from the New Zealand press on the eve of last year’s World Cup shows that he is one of the few Australian players our Kiwi friends covet.
With Liam Gill leaving for Europe next year, Michael Hooper, Sean McMahon and Matt Hodgson will be expected to step in. With respect to Hodgson’s combative skills, he is deployed as a bench player for the Wallabies, so I would expect McMahon and Hooper to be the men pushing for run-on spots, either in the same position or as part of a No.7-8 combination.
As individual players, neither bring the whole package of skills that Pocock does. And if their appearance against Scotland at the World Cup is any indication, they are not as effective as the current Pocock-Hooper combination.
If the Wallabies are to bring the Bledisloe back, a lot of things need to go right. Even with Pocock, the Wallabies go into any trans-Tasman contest as the underdogs. The statistics bear this out – in 179 matches, the All Blacks lead Australia by 124 wins to 48 with seven draws.
But playing at home is an advantage. Being able to play the third and deciding Bledisloe clash in front of a packed house in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne instead of Auckland is critical. Now the Wallabies have lost their best weapon for that critical home clash and it has made the challenge of winning back the Bledisloe even harder.
Pocock is a special player and he may be the very man we need to help lead Australia to World Cup glory in 2019. He also has a laudable social conscience and a fierce intellect so I doubt many Wallabies fans will begrudge him leaving for 12 months. However, his unavailability will be keenly felt in a year the Wallabies have a great chance to regain a trophy all fans are desperate to get back.
wardad
Guest
Snake is the man we will sorely miss especially that amazing combination with Ma'a.
wardad
Guest
Just shows a bit of depth at 10 dunnit ? The ABs still won heaps even without the Carter amazing player that he is. The one player that the ABs will truly miss is Ritchie .
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Don't you be disturbing the keen myth making here, Taylorman, the seasonal adjustment, smoothing of the data and writing of the new history. ;) For some time I closely watched the New Zealand commentators and fans reviews of the crafty Conrad Smith, and his coach's review, yet I find above that "Conrad has also been criticised to death the past three seasons." In the thirteen squads Steve Hansen announced from 2012 to 2015 he chose five centres, including younger not so has beens, and decided on Smith. He wisely gave The Roar experts the swerve. The Roar sure is a quaint little place when it comes to bagging champion rugby players and applauding mediocrity.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
bullpit
Guest
No Pocock no Bledisloe. Don't know about that. Anyone watching super rugby at the moment will know the Kiwi teams (other than the Blues) are playing on another planet. Talent to burn. They will easily replace past kiwi greats. Only the Brums and Rebels showing any Aussie pride - well coached. The less said about the tah's, reds force. I do agree with the author this is the year the wallabies should be cashing in but as per usual our provincial sides (listed) are letting us down. The skills levels of these sides mentioned is a disgrace and that will hurt us when the internationals start. No wonder Cheika is in Europe beating the drum to past players.- could be a tough year or two for the Wallabies. Don't worry about the Bledisloe, be more concerned about a well drilled, well coached pommy side that's coming primed to rub our faces in it.
taylorman
Roar Guru
So one of Cruden, Barrett or Sapoaga are better 10's than Carter, worlds best player, was last year? Cane is a better 7 than McCaw is a 7, captain and inspiration? Hard to see how you got that. Which 10 and Cane performances stood out that much?
richard
Guest
I see EJ has come out saying he has made himself unavailable for the BIL job.So Gatland it probably is.Schmidt to be his assistant.
mania
Guest
agree boz and fin - this is sport and anything can happen, that's why its called a test and not a foreGoneConclusion. man aus have to get over being so reliant on pocock. he's one, albeit great, player. but ABs didn't negate him by having one player counter him, they used team work and kept pocock on the ground or made him run around more than he usually had to. its the rest of the aus team that needs to step up and play better. pocock being away on sabb is good. he needs a break from all this pressure that the aus media place on him good luck aus. tbh it wouldn't hurt the ABs to relinquish the bled this season.
DaniE
Roar Guru
Actually I'm looking forward to Pocock taking his sabbatical - which is a year away anyway! It's healthy for him and for Australian rugby in general. One of the big issues from the last year is that the Wallabies haven't gotten balance in the whole squad let alone the team, not to mention the forward pack and the back row - and depending on Pocock to pull the team through just doesn't help. I'm hoping Cheika's selections both make sense and work out this year and that other players are given a real go in order to build long-term success. I'd rather lose in the short-term in order to have players fit in systems in the long-run. We've got a habit in Australia of putting players out of position, and endlessly discussing changing positions - I'd like for a good few people in a few stable roles - though there'd be less to talk about on the Roar.
Rebel
Guest
Yes it is and how good is AIG
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Just having fun is all. Appreciate your comments rebel and Clark, and your humor John
ClarkeG
Guest
yeah I hear what you say Rebel but sometimes its fun having a crack back at them and you have to admit Die Hards sandbox reference is a good throw back.
Squirrel
Guest
The Australian nurseries have been destroyed by the ARU so not much talent coming thru
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree, if not ej then scmidt should be the coach
Wazza
Guest
And that is why Hooper must not play 7.. 6 FARDY 7 POCOCK 8 ???????
Digby
Roar Guru
Thanks Tania, enjoyed the read and hope you find time to write more. Pocock is obviously a key player, and in my view the premier 7 in WR today. However I feel the Wallabies big issue at the moment and why I would not fancy their chances at the Bledisloe in the near future as the lack of a quality 8. Without that, the loose forwards are unbalanced in my view and seriously weakens the lineout, brutally exposed in last years WC final. Pocock or not, this is the biggest problem area for the Wallabies to solve if they want to take the Cup away.
richard
Guest
I wonder if the RFU will allow EJ to be a candidate for the coaching job.Methinks their priority will be getting the England team ready for the next RWC. If that is the case,it will make Hansen's job easier next year.Gatland, will probably be head coach and I would be confident Hansen will have the measure of him.Warrenball won't beat the ABs.
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree richard especially if EJ is the lions coach.
PeterK
Roar Guru
obviously included Hooper v Read since Pocock is V Cane since Pcock plays the opensiders role and Hooper the 8's role outside the scrum. Fekitoa is in great form and Kuridrani did not play well last year in intl's. I doubt many kiwi's would pick him over Fekitoa. I wonder how many kiwi's agree with Fardy over Kaino either.
rebel
Guest
I know he does but I try not to let the tr0lls get to me on this topic. I also love the fact that some people are completely unaware of their inadvertent actions.