Monday’s Rugby News celebrates the Wallabies winning, Pocock’s return, O’Connor’s redemption and all the rugby around the country/Pacific
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Back on Track
The Wallabies have got their Rugby Championship campaign back on track, defeating the Pumas 16-10 in a sloppy game at Suncorp Stadium.
They benefited from going back to the basics: making your tackles when needed, picking a winger in the wing position and Michael Hooper playing the position on the back rather than as a third winger.
For a full recap of the game, check out Reg’s in-depth match review here and Nick’s Player Ratings from the victory.
Coach Michael Cheika was pleased with the effort put in by his side, believing that it has set them up perfectly for a tilt at the All Blacks.
“(We’ll take) as big a step as we want to take,” he said. “It’s up to us. It’s (going to be) the step that we’re prepared to take.”
“We’re prepared to go up another, I don’t know how many levels it might take, but whatever it is, it’s about whether we want to take a step up and whether we will take a step up to go and compete there.”
Captain Michael Hooper said the victory was crucial for the side after going through a torrid 2018 and start to the 2019 season.
“These guys – staff as well – we’ve all been putting in big shifts and you just need a little bit of a pat on the back sometimes in the form of a win to show what you can do and paint a bit of a picture of what your week looks like to add to that result,” Hooper said.
The Wallabies will next play the All Blacks in a fortnight time, who are coming off a 16-all draw with the Springboks.
The All Blacks looked certain to win after a try to Jack Goodhue and a plethora of penalty goals to Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett.
However, Springboks replacement halfback Herschel Jantjies pounced on the bouncing ball in the dying minutes to snatch a draw, continuing his dream start to his international career.
They will have to face the Wallabies without towering lock Brodie Retallick, who suffered a dislocated shoulder that is expected to keep him out until the start of the World Cup in September.
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Poey shute-ing for return
Wallabies and Brumbies flanker David Pocock is looking more and more likely to return from injury for the Wallabies clash with the All Blacks in Perth.
Pocock hasn’t played since March, but ran strongly during the Wallabies training run on Friday, according to Michael Cheika.
Cheika will give Pocock every chance possible to play as he continues to experiment with the squad before the start of the World Cup.
“I wanted to stay away from putting a date on it, there’s been too many dates put on it already,” the coach said of the 31-year-old’s strung-out return.
“On Friday he ran at full game speed and he’s getting everything sorted out so we’ll see how he recovers.
“He needs to do a whole week with the team and once he’s done that he’ll be right.”
Cheika is contemplating sending Pocock to play in the Shute Shield next week for a team outside of finals contention to test his fitness and get him back into playing competitive football.
This seems like an unusual move for Pocock on the surface considering he’s pretty much played in every state but NSW.
However, the reasoning for this decision comes as Pocock’s hometowns Canberra and Brisbane are set to start their club finals series on Saturday, which Pocock would likely be ruled as ineligible to compete in.
Whilst on the selection front, Cheika has hinted that the clash with New Zealand will be an opportunity to test out new combinations, along with trying out players who have had limited game time such as Allan Ala’alatoa, Adam Coleman, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Pocock.
“The objective (winning) is pretty clear but there may still be a place for guys who haven’t played as yet because there are a bunch like Allan Alaalatoa, Adam Coleman, Poey, Adam Ashley-Cooper and others,” Cheika said.
“There might still be a place for a player or two that hasn’t played as yet…[We’ll take] as big a step as we want to take [against New Zealand]. It’s up to us.”
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He’s all grown up
Outside back James O’Connor has expressed his joy at getting a second (or is it third, fourth?) chance at redemption.
O’Connor came off the bench during the win over the Pumas, which marked his first cap in almost 6 years.
He was grateful for getting another shot at playing for the Wallabies, describing the emotional occasion after the game as an emotional rollercoaster.
“It was just unbelievable, I didn’t think I’d have so many emotions come up during the anthem,” O’Connor told Fox Sports’ Rod Kafer after the Rugby Championship clash.
“To get out on the field and play with Kurtley (Beale) and guys like that-it was pretty unreal.
“I’ve put it out there — how much I’ve missed being out there, being in Australia and being around the team.
“It’s such an opportunity to be able to play for your country and there’s definitely something building here nicely.
O’Connor has spent the last six years ‘finding himself’ in Europe (like every young person when they’ve finished uni) and the time away has made him redefine what is important in his life.
“I’m just so grateful to be involved…I’m not a boy anymore,” he said. “I’ve spent six years in the wilderness, found myself, developed and learned a lot about rugby and a lot off the field as well.”
“I guess I know what’s important to me now and this is it.”
This was shared by good mate and fullback Kurtley Beale, who was proud of the transformation that he is made since his last stint in Australian rugby.
“It’s obviously great to see him run out in the gold jersey again,” Beale said.
“Thoroughly deserves his opportunity, he’s worked really, really hard to get in this position. (He’s changed) a lot.
“The mature lad, certainly rubs off on a lot of the lads around him…he has that personality where when he’s on, he’s on.
“It’s great to have him back in the group, creating really good competition with each other.
“We’re pushing each other really hard because we know it’s a really special year for rugby in general.”
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Rugby recap
We start in the Pacific, where Japan has beaten our Group D competitors Fiji 34-21 in the opening round of the Pacific Nations Cup.
The Brave Blossoms bagged five tries to Fiji’s three, led by a double to Kotaro Matsushima, which witnessed the first game in Kamaishi since it was ravaged by a Tsunami in 2011.
Earlier in the day, Samoa opened the tournament with a 25-17, come-from-behind win against a Tongan outfit, which was reduced to 13 men by the end of the match.
Back in Australia the Shute Shield threw up some crazy results with Eastwood holding off Southern Districts 33-21, Sydney Uni thrashed Norths 66-17, Warringah downed a valiant Western Sydney 34-17, Easts recorded a comeback win over Gordon 29-25 (despite being down a man for the majority of the match) and West Harbour snatched a draw against Manly 42-all, after trailing 42-21
The final round of the Hospital Challenge Cup in Brisbane saw GPS pump Queensland Uni 59-32, Brothers hold off Easts 23-20, Souths beat Norths in the battle of the birds 42-24 and Sunnybank reclaimed the Bunter Bowl with a 41-29 over Bond Uni.
It was also the last round of the John I Dent Cup where Vikings narrowly beat Royals 22-17, Wests upset Uni-Norths 40-26 and Easts knocked off Gungahlin 32-22.
In Melbourne, the penultimate round of the Dewar Shield had Box Hill beat Endeavour 52-24, Harlequins upset Melbourne 34-21 in a top of the table clash, Melbourne Uni overpowered Powerhouse 41-29 and Moorabbin thumped Footscray 47-0.
Round 12 of the Coopers Premier in Adelaide witnessed Woodville overcome Barossa 52-21, Onkaparinga molly whop Elizabeth 155-12, Brighton held off Southern Suburbs 25-19, Old Collegians upset Burnside 34-26 and Port Adelaide defeated Adelaide Uni 31-25
Finally in the home of the Bledisloe this year, the championship division of the Fortescue Premier saw ARKs thump Curtin Uni 88-10, Palmyra cruise to a 33-15 win over Bayswater, Joondalup outclassed Coastal 29-14 and Kalamunda outgunned Southern Lions 52-24 whilst the premiership division witnessed Wests destroy Wanneroo 55-15, Nedlands cruise home 28-10 over UWA and Cottesloe accounted for Associates 31-15.
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