Should Pocock have to earn back his starting spot?

[Scarfman]

I think if you're going to play both men, then Hooper should play 8. Given that he's got a little bit of filling out still left in him, there's been plenty of great 8s of his size. Not too many 6s, though.

Obviously then you need to pick height at 6. If you put Hooper down for the graft role, then it might even give Higgers some licence to roam about.

 

[Scarfman]

By the way - I have a prediction. For 5 years, Robbie has been inexplicably playing people out of position. I've got a feeling in me waters that on this occasion - the one where we think it might actually be a good idea - Robbie will decide that they have to compete for the 7 spot.

 

[Groucho]

Play them both. The 'two opensides' theory may have failed under Eddie Jones, but so did everything else.

 

[farva]

I think if you're going to play both men, then Hooper should play 8. Given that he's got a little bit of filling out still left in him, there's been plenty of great 8s of his size. Not too many 6s, though.

Obviously then you need to pick height at 6. If you put Hooper down for the graft role, then it might even give Higgers some licence to roam about.

Then Luke Jones can make a name for himself at 6!
Its all falling into place. I predict within 2 years Australia will possess the strongest and most balanced back row in international rugby.

 

[Dumbledore]

Then Luke Jones can make a name for himself at 6!
Its all falling into place. I predict within 2 years Australia will possess the strongest and most balanced back row in international rugby.

Too logical.

 

[kickbackkid]

i think the Wallabies should find a way to play both Pocock and Hooper. Hooper has unquestionable been the inform player of the wallabies spring tour regardless of this i don't feel that you can put the best number 7 in the world on the bench especially when he doubles up as the captain. I would expect to see Pocock wearing 7 and Hooper wearing 6 come this weekend. I may be getting ahead of myself here but i would love to see Australia one day play all three 7's (Pocock, Hooper and Gill) in the back row together, to me it just seems a waste having one of them sit on the bench. Who knows it could happen one day they are all very young with long bright futures ahead of them.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The issue with that is that compared to other back rowers in world rugby all three are midgets. I love the idea of playing two or more of these blokes in the same starting line up but I feel it unbalances the pack. One of them would have to get either taller or a fair bit heavier to play eight and that would ruin some of the advantage they have now, especially Hooper with his blinding pace. We'll find a way for them to be on the pitch at the same time, but I'm not convinced it should be for the full 80.

 

[farva]

Pocock played at inside centre in his youth did he not...

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Pocock played at inside centre in his youth did he not.

He did and Hooper has also played there.

 

[farva]

Right, so given Deans' decision to have crashballers in the centres, we can get both these guys on the field and still have Liam Gill starting too!

 

[Pete King]

Hoping the above is toungue in cheek > reference to eithier hooper or Pocock playing centres and that there are players of Hoopers Height playing NO 8 at international level.

 

[Hairy Test Eagle]

If Hooper and Pocock are going to play together this weekend would have to be the best time to test it out. Wales aren't to hot at the moment and if push comes to shove Deans can bring one of them off for a bigger back rower at half time.

 

[ChargerWA]

Ha, you guys make me laugh. Robbie picking both Hooper and Pocock, as if.

But if he actually did, then Samo should go to 8 as he can jump in the lineout.

 

[farva]

Charger, Ben McCalman is the perfect Number 8 for a backrow with both Pocock and Hooper.
He plays tight, he can get involved in the lineout.
If only he wasnt injured.

 

[Shiggins]

Pocock has what we need. He will steel the ball every other time he goes for it. ATM no one else can do that. He single handedly beat the springboks at the rwc. He is simply better then hooper. Unless this stint of not playing has affected him. We don't need a 7 that can break the line. That's simply not a 7's job. Even If it is cool.

 

[The Rant]

Charger, Ben McCalman is the perfect Number 8 for a backrow with both Pocock and Hooper.
If only he wasnt injured.

hahaha. Might as well just play Dennis at 8.

 

[The Rant]

Hooper has been great and there is no way he won't start this test match because he is our form player. Robbie knows he can't drop him to the bench and robbie wants to win this so he can secure his job with a 3-1 tour.

But what Pocock and Hooper offer is so different. Both a great defenders and get through a lot of work - but pocock is 10 times the threat at the breakdown. But hooper gives us dynamism and thrust which pocock doesn't offer and right now I think the wallabies are in more need of go-forward than anything else. I'm happy to have both played and see how it goes. Better to do it now than try it in 6 months.

Can someone explain to me why we keep picking Gill on the bench and sending him on as a 6 replacement and leave Samo on the bench or off the teamsheet? This makes no sense.

 

[brumsfan]

Hooper should definitely start but I've got a horrible feeling that our best player for just about every game he has started will be benched.
I hope I'm wrong

 

[Train Without a Station]

According to http://www.rugbystats.com.au the 2012 stats for pilfers is as follows:

1. Liam Gill - 16
2. Michael Hooper - 11
3. Coenrad Oosthuizen - 9
4. David Pocock - 8
5. Deon Fourie - 8

Pocock missed a couple of games through injury and Hooper didn't start every game so I think they played about equal amount of game time. To say Pocock steals the ball every other time he goes for it, is either inaccurate, or he gets to the breakdown significantly less than Hooper. In addition we have seen this tour that Hooper often leads the counter-rucks when we have won the ball back. The stats clearly prove that Pocock is not significantly better at the breakdown, in actual fact, Hooper steals more ball. In addition he has a ground all round game.

To pick Pocock over Hooper and attribute it to him being better at the breakdown is delusional. Pocock has some qualities superior to Hooper and while I wouldn't, I could understand why some people would prefer him and wouldn't consider it a bad selection decision. But don't say it's to gain breakdown superiority.

 

[Brumbieman]

According to http://www.rugbystats.com.au the 2012 stats for pilfers is as follows:

1. Liam Gill - 16
2. Michael Hooper - 11
3. Coenrad Oosthuizen - 9
4. David Pocock - 8
5. Deon Fourie - 8

Pocock missed a couple of games through injury and Hooper didn't start every game so I think they played about equal amount of game time. To say Pocock steals the ball every other time he goes for it, is either inaccurate, or he gets to the breakdown significantly less than Hooper. In addition we have seen this tour that Hooper often leads the counter-rucks when we have won the ball back. The stats clearly prove that Pocock is not significantly better at the breakdown, in actual fact, Hooper steals more ball. In addition he has a ground all round game.

To pick Pocock over Hooper and attribute it to him being better at the breakdown is delusional. Pocock has some qualities superior to Hooper and while I wouldn't, I could understand why some people would prefer him and wouldn't consider it a bad selection decision. But don't say it's to gain breakdown superiority.

Considering I saw Hooper score 5 turnovers in one game, against the Highlanders, I really doubt those stats are accurate.

The Wales/Wallabies game in 200....9/10? (George Smith's last game), I counted 6 turnovers to Smith in one half of rugby, and Pocock about 3-4, and our total pilfer's for the match was only 5. Stats in Rugby I think are very very hit and miss...