Wallaby David Pocock’s rotten run of injuries took another turn last Saturday night against the Pumas in Perth when he broke his hand to rule him out of the rest of the Rugby Championship.
Pocock (28) was playing his 60th international, Michael Hooper (24) his 58th.
Yet Pocock debuted in 2008 – Hooper in 2012 off the bench when Pocock, as Wallaby captain, was rated one of the world’s best open-side flankers, having been twice nominated a finalist in the IRB International Player of the Year award in 2010 and 2011.
Hooper got his chance when Pocock suffered an early season reconstruction in 2012, and repeated the dose with his other knee in 2013
But there was more in store.
When Stephen Moore took over as Wallaby captain from Ben Mowen in 2014, Hooper was named co-vice captain with Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Moore’s captaincy lasted five minutes before he suffered a season-ending knee injury and Hooper became captain for the next 14 Tests.
So three knee reconstructions opened maximum doors for Hooper, and he made the most of it, which poses the question how would Hooper’s Wallaby career have panned out had it not been for Pocock, and Moore’s, injuries in that 2013-2014 period?
Very simply, Hooper would have either been a blind-side flanker, or a bench man, and never even a Wallaby vice-captain.
Such are the vagaries of sport.
So Hooper continues to wear jersey 7, but the “Pooper” exercise has been abruptly finished.
Which raises the next question, who will be the new Wallaby number eight for the remaining two games of the Rugby Championship at Loftus, and Twickenham?
Lopeti Timani made his debut off the bench against the Pumas.
He’s been my choice for the Wallabies new number eight for a number of reasons, even though he hasn’t played there for the Rebels, where Scott Higginbotham and Adam Thomson have denied him the chance.
But he has all the qualifications with a 193cm-125kg frame to add to his speed, and aggression.
It’s tragic David Pocock has had such a rotten run with injury, that also included a broken eye socket against England with next year looming as his sabbatical.
The Lopeti Timani suggestion already has legs, now the decision rests with Michael Cheika.
Tim
Guest
Bakkies you are incorrect, he signed his Brumbies contract while still at school. I know this because I went to school with him at St Pius. Where are you getting your facts from? You are obviously blinded by envy.
Stu
Guest
Our boy was the last man standing as the EM and DP/KB circus came to town. I never took issue with anything he said. I doubt any wallaby captain was going to come out of that fiasco without passing of someone. This site loves tearing down Hooper, particularly from obvious ACT and QLD contributors. I really dont get the parochial nonsense he has been consistently our best player over the last 4 years.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
He was already identified in the Under 16 National merit team after State Champs. That XV also included Paul Alo-Emile, Like Jones, Jarred Butler and Tom Kingston. He just didn't get a chance to show at older levels due to injury. Fainga'a was a local in ACT so of course the Brumbies identified him.
Bakkies
Guest
Houston is back at Bath as a medical joker to cover Denton and Faletau. Wouldn't be surprised to see it turn in to something permanent.
Bakkies
Guest
Unless you have the mentality of Graeme Smith at 22 you shouldn't in the reckoning for handling press conferences.
Bakkies
Guest
''Hooper went straight to the brumbies from year 12 school,' No he didn't. He was picked by the Brumbies out of club Rugby with Manly to cover Smith and Fainga''a without a contract.
Bakkies
Guest
Fainga'a was already identified as a player to have potential at the Brumbies along with being the most talented in his family. Hooper wasn't on anyone's lips or the SMH's and definitely didn't go to the right school to be considered a Waratah (see Smith v Waugh).
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That's only because he missed Aus Schoolboys due to injury so he wasn't really on the radar, meaning Colby Fainga'a the local boy did and was.
Stu
Guest
Yep at 22 i was always great at handling difficult issues at press conferences.
Adsa
Guest
He is also good at flicking his hair into place between plays. Our Gold winning Ladies all conquering sevens side spent less time fiddling with hair than Hooper. Our revered Roarer Sheik best summed up the Hooper conundrum by saying ' Like Gregan he is a champion rugby player, but not a champion half back' What a shame a coach at school level never told him 'Hooper the way you flick your hair you cannot play flanker you should be an annoying half back, go practice kicking, passing and sniping from rucks' Hoops would still be a capped no.9, and Phipps in Japan!
Fin
Guest
Definitely they would play to instruction and the way Hooper plays actually suits the way Cheika wants the team to play. However if you asked Hooper to play over the ball the way Pocock does he just wouldn't be as good. Likewise if you ask Pocock to carry the ball the way Hooper does he just wouldn't be as good. Gill is somewhere in between. Cheika has decided Hooper needs to play and he needs to pick a side that creates balance around him. In many ways it is the same as Quade Cooper. If you decide his strengths- which are considerable- are needed then you pick a side to help deliver those strengths and hide any weaknesses. In my opinion guys like Hooper and Cooper are needed for the Wallabies to compete with the likes of the All Blacks. One of Cheika's weaknesses as a coach is he tends to undervalue some of the core skills of the game in an attempt to play a style of game he wants to play. When it works it looks great but it makes the team somewhat vulnerable to side that attacks them at the lineout scrum or breakdown, particularly if the referees' interpretation doesn't align with the way the Wallabies are playing.
Armchair Sportsfan
Guest
Would like to see cheika take Leroy Houston on the European tour now that Pocock is injured....he had a stormer in his first match back on loan to Bath on the weekend.... be good to have a genuine 8 in the squad...
CUW
Guest
it may be an Auzzy award, becoz there is no player of tournament award at under 20 world cup. as BAKKIES has said above , player of u20 world cup is the player of the year. http://www.worldrugby.org/awards/past-winners?lang=en
Jack
Guest
He's good at watching the other forward defending rolling malls on our they line as well . Another one rolled in on Saturday with Hooper watching from 5 metres. Not to worry though, McMahon will do the hard work now Poey in injured.
Bakkies
Guest
'He doesn’t play like the traditional 7, hence why so many knickers end up all twisted.' That is due to Cheika. When Pocock was out of the team in 2014 he lost his touch there. When he went in to the breakdowns he was blown off the ball. Lost his rag as captain particularly in the hiding dished out by England. There was rumours that he was behind getting rid of McKenzie and didn't win a lot of people over at his behaviour during press conferences at the time.
Bakkies
Guest
Well he wasn't contracted to any Super Rugby teams. He got an injury joker spot at the Brumbies to cover for those two players. He certainly wasn't in the frame for a one to two year deal in any teams prior to that.
Bakkies
Guest
Player of the tournament is IRB Junior player of the year.
Bakkies
Guest
He wasn't in Cheika's plans as he made his mate Hooper vice captain and went for McMahon at the RWC (he never featured in a Wallabies squad that year till then). He adds more balance to the backrow then Hooper does.
Paul
Guest
Faiinga was generally Captain, Hooper captained against Fiji (50-25) and played No.7 every match bar the opening game against Tonga. I said player of the tournament, not player of the year.
Markus
Guest
Hooper won Aus u20s player of the tournament but not IRB. Colby Faingaa was captain.