Michael Hooper will embrace the return of David Pocock but says it’s unclear exactly how the Wallabies’ loose forwards will line up at the Rugby World Cup.
The combination of Hooper, Isi Naisarani and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has started all four Tests for Australia this year and largely impressed until they ran into an All Blacks brick wall at Eden Park.
The 36-0 whipping on Saturday highlighted the absence of Pocock’s ball-pilfering qualities, with New Zealand setting up victory via their breakdown dominance.
Yet a week earlier, the likes of powerhouse blindside flanker Salakaia-Loto – the man seemingly most under pressure when Pocock returns – reigned supreme at the collisions in Australia’s 21-point triumph.
Despite not having played since March due to a calf injury, champion flanker Pocock is certain to be named in Australia’s World Cup squad this Friday and coach Michael Cheika has promised a playing return in the pre-tournament hitout against Samoa in Sydney on September 7.
Hooper said a return to the twin openside flanker set-up of recent years – with both Pocock and himself starting – is a possibility but no certainty at the World Cup.
When they used that combination, Pocock generally played from No.8 but newcomer Naisarani has made an impression as a valuable ball-carrier in his absence.
“David’s on-ball play is obviously a huge factor, the guy’s the best in the world in that area,” Hooper said.
“But in saying that, I’ve been really impressed with Isi over the ball. The guy is a couple of games into his Test career and he’s really putting up his hand, along with Lukhan.
“I’m really enjoying playing with those sort of guys, we’re getting some nice continuity there but … Dave’s looking good so there’s going to be some good back row combinations coming up.”
Aside from Pocock, there are no injury question marks for Cheika to contend with.
The hand fracture that ruled lock Rory Arnold out of the Bledisloe Cup decider is not serious and he will be fit to face Samoa.
Hooper urged his teammates not to get downcast about the heavy defeat, pointing to progress made across the board following a miserable 2018.
“We’ve talked about where we’ve come from since last year,” he said.
“We had a lot of growth and momentum building in the last couple of weeks and we’re able now to have look at how we’re able to get better.”
alanbstardmp
Roar Rookie
how comforting
alanbstardmp
Roar Rookie
we certainly have problems
Stu
Roar Rookie
+1 for Valetini. At only 20 years of age and well over 6 feet tall, Valetini seriously looked the goods during SR this year while he was uninjured. I wonder if he could squeeze into 6. Would also like to see Pocock permanently back at 7 while he presumably has just a few twilight career games left – hope they are all world cup games. Stick Hooper at 13 for all I care!!
Stu
Roar Rookie
Not enough mention of the home ground advantage - it's worth 20 points to whoever the home team is. Playing in a neutral country like Japan, we'll get flogged by heaps less!
No.24
Roar Rookie
Surely it is at 10 where Australian rugby has failed. To think that four years on from RWC'15 and our only fly half options are all over 30 is inexcusable.
Lindsay Freeman
Guest
If we had 15 like Hooper we would not be having this conversation. We need a 6 & 10 with Banks to 15 & Beale to the bench. Foley is our best 10. Any 2 who throw straight is in. Oh yes just get the ball & never past 4 on the line out
JP
Guest
haha this guy ^ It`s always everyones elses fault but not Hoopers.Remind me how many backrow partners have been punted by Cheika over the last 5 years because obviously everyone of them has not done their job and Hooper always has.Gimme a break.
Chris
Guest
The backrow woefulness and ineffectiveness always comes back to the " common denominator " Michael Hooper. He has been in 98 percent of games played by the worst Wallabies of all time.Meanwhile we have gone through how many 8`s and 6`s. 20+ ??
Marto
Guest
Hooper out ( never to come back ) Poey in.
Homer
Guest
Aus has a raft of problems that are all impossible to fix before the RWC. Even given a good attitude, fair refs, the rub of the green and a decent draw, Australia are toast this year. Here's why. 1. The 'Pooper' experiment, (which paid off for only a single game in the RWC), became a policy that has destroyed the WBs for the last three years. Hooper is a liability because he just isn't big enough. The lack of a really powerful running loosy has been shown up time and again by the ABs and the Boks. And Pocock's fading talents can't make up for the gaping hole left in the portfolio of skills needed by a back row that should comprise three quite different specialists. As for the 'pilfering skills' of Pocock - well the ABs neutralised Pocock imany times simply by ensuring that he had to be the first tackler and not the poacher. Suddenly he didn't get turnovers. BTW it isn't hard to devise a tactic to neutralise a single player - especially if the other two loosies don't pose serious threats at the same time. That's why you want three different kinds of people to play the three distinct loose roles. 2. Aus haven't brought on and blooded enough new talents in the last three years - especially in the forwards. The result is that the promising big forwards that you should have been using for the last few years are too new and too underdone at this level. They are slow and not smart enough yet for test rugby. They needed more games to prepare for RWC matches in the Australian pool where every game bar one is a knockout. (Lose to Wales or Fiji or even Georgia (yep Georgia) and the WBs could exit before the quarter finals.) 3. The reason you have no plan B is because you haven't selected players capable of playing more than one type of game. You've been playing nothing more than analogue footy in a digitial age for a few years now. Seriously - where are your good kick chasers now? Where is a your core of great lineout jumpers. Nowhere. That's why your kicking game is doomed. And without a kicking game and some line breaking loosies, how can you possibly beat a competent rush defence? 4. Most fatally of all you haven't got a proper speedster in the whole team. Pace is a weapon all by itself. Bridge showed it on Saturday when he easily glided through a gap outside a slow moving slow witted lock. Having no gassers is a disastrous weakness. How many tries have the ABs scored since 2015 because of the simple speed of Barrett, Milner-Skudder, Naholo, Ioane, McKenzie and now also Bridge and Reece. Seriously your speedsters are who? AAC? Hodge? Beale? 5. Cheika. He is a short term thinker. 'Nuff said. Last summer I gave a brave prediction that Aus could exit the RWC in pool play. Now it's not looking so daft. Playing and winning all the first three matches against Wales, Fiji and Georgia isn't looking like a certainty any more. I don't think you can afford to rest your best against any of those teams. (Remember when the ABs had to empty the bench just to subdue Georgia in 2015?) After that, it just gets harder and harder. Banish the memory of your victory over the ABs a week ago. It is an outlier in the stats caused only by playing 15 against 14 for half the game. Get real. Its over. This RWC will be a disaster for the WBs.
alanbstardmp
Roar Rookie
quote in part " We all know Hooper will start. " Why? He must have influential friends
alanbstardmp
Roar Rookie
yes correct
alanbstardmp
Roar Rookie
Hooper out, Pocock in
Grotto
Guest
No, it highlighted he had bugger all help at the breakdown - a consistent Wallaby flaw.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
He’s not as tall as Salakaia-Loto, but he’s about 194cm and jumps pretty well.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
2019 backrow "largely impressed" ??? A very good showing in Perth. Verging on passable in Brisbane. Very poor in SA and NZ.
awa
Roar Rookie
“We’ve talked about where we’ve come from since last year,” he said. That would’ve been a short conversation.
Rob M
Roar Rookie
I think Pocock 6 with Wright off the bench. He hasn't played with Naisarani, so we should see what that brings. We know LSL ain't the answer. We lose lineout height, but I don't remember seeing LSL taking too many over the past 4 games. 2 a match? Pocock brings so much passion, pride and guts over the ball. He changes games.
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Valentini
Puff
Guest
DP is not the pilfer of yesteryear and the way the game is changing and structured with competitive teams utilizing a flat defensive line. His effectiveness at the dark end, may not deliver the desired results we all anticipate. Before his departure the Wallabies may have about 8 matches total so would they save him for a match with meaning or give him 40 minutes in a warm up game. We all know Hooper will start.