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Let Pocock be finisher and save his neck

22nd February, 2019
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22nd February, 2019
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Newly appointed Wallabies selector Michael O’Çonnor has raised the prospect of David Pocock being selected as the Wallabies No. 7 over current incumbent captain Michael Hooper.

The selection of ‘The Pooper’, with Hooper at No. 7 and Pocock at No. 8, has been an ongoing debate since Michael Cheika first started playing the two opensides together in 2015.

Many since then have concluded that the initially successful tactic unbalances the back row by denying the Wallabies a tall lineout jumper and/or a big ball runner. With Pocock being acknowledged as the best pilfering No. 7 in the world, O’Connor’s suggestion that Hooper should be relegated to the bench is shared by many.

However, Pocock has suffered many injuries that have kept him off the field, with the rigours of sticking his head in dark places and being targeted for neck rolls by opponents increasingly catching up with him. He lasted five minutes in the Brumbies season opener against the Rebels on the weekend before being taken off with a concussion. It raises the question of whether his teams, both the Brumbies and the Wallabies, rely too much on his abilities at the ruck and whether he could be used more judiciously.

In the case of the Wallabies it needs to be remembered that if it were not for the presence of David Pocock, there would be no question ever raised about the suitability of Michael Hooper as No. 7. Hooper doesn’t have Pocock’s presence at the breakdown, but he more than makes his contribution by typically taking the largest defensive workload of any player when he plays and is one of the best attacking flankers in the world. Peter Samu and Tom Cusack can play pretty much the same role as Hooper does for the Brumbies as Hooper does with the Wallabies.

As much as Pocock contributes, the Wallabies and the Brumbies have won big games with other players at No. 7, backed up with more traditional loose forwards at No. 6 and No. 8. It may be time for Pocock’s coaches to consider how to use him in a way that maximises his impact while preserving his body for the sake of his teams and, more importantly, for his own long-term welfare.

The best way to do this might be to use him as a ‘finisher’ off the bench, to be brought on as an impact player late in the game. Having Pocock on the bench would allow coaches to minimise the number of minutes he plays and therefore his injury risk, as he would not need to be brought on while his teams are well ahead, but he could still be brought in if they were in trouble.

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David Pocock

David Pocock. (Supplied)

Pocock was used in this way in 2015 against the Springboks in Brisbane, playing the last 40 minutes while the Wallabies were struggling to contain the Boks at the breakdown and setting the team up for a tight win. This approach could be particularly effective against fast-finishing teams like the All Blacks, with Pocock being introduced just as they get on a roll and helping to shut down the onslaught.

Moreover, it is possible that his teams rely too much on Pocock to generate turnovers when he starts. Having him as a backup may provide an opportunity for his teammates to step up and do more work to get the ball back themselves, presenting opponents with multiple challenges when it comes to keeping the ball.

Of course the approach would entail a risk trade-off, with the potential for problems if Pocock were to get injured after coming in off the bench and leaving the team short of a loose forward at the end of the game. However, that risk could be mitigated by playing locks like Adam Coleman and Isaac Rodda, who can reliably play the 80 minutes, and by selecting players like Luke Jones, Rob Simmons, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto or Jed Holloway, who can play both as locks and loose forwards. A 6-2 forward-back split would be another option.

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Finally, it is important to note that Pocock himself has raised concerns about his health as a result of the type of work expected of him. He does not appear to have an ego that would make being a ‘finisher’ unacceptable to him, so it may be an idea that he would find acceptable.

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Poey has been an outstanding servant to Australian rugby and he definitely has more to contribute. However, after a decade of him doing some of the toughest stuff on the park, it is time that Australian rugby thought about how to look after him in a way that best benefits the team and ensures his long-term health rather than just flogging him towards inevitable injury.

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