So it is possible to have your cake and eat it too? With Wallaby Phil Waugh lining up against his Wallaby team-mates this weekend, Robbie Deans will get to see whether it is Waugh or David Pocock who will partner George Smith as flankers in the Wallaby match day XXII.
Phil Waugh’s recent contract extension with the ARU proves that Dean’s is still a fan of Capt Blood, even though it seemed he was well past his international used-by date on last season’s end of year Wallaby tour.
Looking at the stats from the Super 14 below, it is clear that both Waugh and Pocock have plenty to offer, albeit at different ends of the rugby spectrum. In Pocock, you get a workhorse and ball-runner, while Waugh offers more impact at the breakdown and no frills toughness.
So will it be Waugh or Pocock, the stats suggest that it depends on how Deans wants to structure his game plan.
Clearly Pocock is the man in terms of sheer work rate around the field. He well and truly puts Waugh in the shade with his total runs and running metres, add to this Pocock’s rock solid defence, and it looks like a pretty obvious choice.
Where Waugh excels, is in the tighter stuff, pilfers, lineout steals and despite doubling Pocock in offloads, he also conceded far fewer turnovers. Waugh may have been penalised more than Pocock, but that to me suggests he is getting penalised because he is doing the dirty work at the breakdown, rather than running like an extra centre.
So who to choose?
I guess a fair bit of it will come down to who plays at no. 6. If Deans selects the more defensive option of Matt Hodgson, then Pocock would more than likely be the answer. If, however, as expected, the more attacking style of Rocky Elsom is picked to play no. 6, then Waugh looks like the perfect fit with his tighter game.
I hate the ‘horses-for-course’ selection debate, but it is clear from the stats that this is what should happen. Maybe against the more expansive All Blacks, Pocock is the answer, but against the attrition style of Jappie rugby, Waugh should get the gig.
| Attacking Stats | Games | Runs | Metres | Mtr/ Game | Offloads | Line Breaks | Defenders Beaten | Kicks | Tries | Try Assists |
| Phil Waugh | 13 | 53 | 169 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| George Smith | 13 | 87 | 455 | 35 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| David Pocock | 13 | 98 | 568 | 44 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Defence/ Possesion |
Tackles Made | Tackles Missed | Effective Tackle % | Pilfers | Turnovers Conceded | L/O Steals | Total L/O Wins | Penalties Conceded |
| Phil Waugh | 149 | 10 | 93.7% | 14 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 11 |
| George Smith | 160 | 19 | 89.4% | 12 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| David Pocock | 214 | 7 | 96.8% | 8 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3288 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=3288">18 Comments
waugh more pilfers than smith? wow.
as much as im a fan of pocock and just about every aspect of his game, if its a close call i guess it has to go to waugh. pocock can wait, he’ll get his time and when it comes he’ll be ready — thats what you can do when you have depth, at least in a certain position, ala Australian cricket team style
It’s wierd, by those stats Waughy the Orc has had more pilfers than Smithy the pretty Orc. But I don’t seem to notice Phil doing it as much as George.
Stu Andrews’s last blog post..Episode #8 – Twitter and Lote, Websites, Dodgy Knees!
I have my doubts, I have never considered Waugh a really international level no 7. So I would rewrite the following sentence a bit:
Phil Waugh’s recent contract extension with the ARU proves that
Deans is still a fan of Capt Blood,the ARU still bends over for NSW.And haha, I misread your ‘jappie’ as a reference to Japanese, since I always say it (and thus write it) jarpie. I didn’t get why we gave a hoot what style the Japanese played. Personally I still think we should stick with Pocock even against the jarpies.
I might say Waugh if it was the starting spot we are talking about. But it isn’t, and I would rather have Pocock coming on for the last 20/30 (or, given last year, last 5).
The stats speak volumes.
Waugh is the only one doing the work the he is supposed to.
George Smith kicked far more than 11 times in this super 14, He seems to think he has the Andrew Johns touch with the ball. Both he and Pocock have been getting isolated far too often.
And why do we need a 7 who is going to offload 20 times? If I wanted a third flyhalf I’d call Brock James back from Clermont. Lets face it. Wallaby rugby needs to harden up, and the only way that is going to happen is if our #7’s start playing like real forwards.
Waugh puts his heart and soul into his game, that’s all is ask. The other two pretty boys need to be taken aside and reminded how a 7 used to play before the ELVs came in. Down and Dirty.
Eddo.
You’re a clown…
George Smith is the only flanker in the Australian squad capable of dealing with King Ritchie and Schalk Berger…
And just quietly what can you really see on the other side of the world. must be tired eyes watching the footy…
Coit
Hehe – “coit”
Heh heh, made me giggle a bit too.
Stu Andrews’s last blog post..Episode #8 – Twitter and Lote, Websites, Dodgy Knees!
Mate, ..
Three glorious letters: D.V.R.
I don’t miss a thing.
I’m a fan of George. And a big fan of Pocock. I fully believe they have more talent and skill than Phil. But in the end. Phil does his job and doesn’t pretend to have two digits on his back, just like you. With my double vision I apprently have I can understand why you spent so much time seagulling it out on the wing.
Bring back the George I knew with dread locks who used to terrorise the oppostion. I don’t see it anymore..
If you learn anything from watching the wallabies and S14 you should learn this. No matter how blistering Waugh’s form is and how bad Smith looks with his chip and charge tactics, Smith ALWAYS out performs Waugh on the International stage.
I agree with your analysis and last year Waugh probably played even better, but come the trinations there is only one 7. No matter the hairstlye, George Smith is always dreaded by the opposition.
On a seperate note can waugh look sideways?
One word Eddo…
HERO…
I actually think Pocock should move to 8 in a year or so, given his running game. He’s a bit like a bigger, much more effective Hoiles.
Or, a smaller much less effective Palu…
Hey?
Hoiles is 190cm 101kg
Pocock is 181cm, 101kg
Where’d you get that stat? on a NZ website they’re both 170cm and 85Kg.
Back to reality though:
According to Reader’s Digest, the average forward in Bledisloe Cup matches is 9kg heavier than 10 years ago.
Pocock from ARU http://bit.ly/CGZdr
Hoiles from Brumbies http://bit.ly/g5LQ4
It’s the Kiwis fucking with your head.
Just looking at them you can tell Hoiles is taller than Pocock, who swapped height for biceps a while back
Why not blindside?
Pocock looks alot taller than that. If he’s that small perhaps he’s to small for blindside. But Hodgson is only 184
Eddo, it would appear that I am now not the only heretic when it comes to George Smith (welcome to the club – I’ve managed to avoid being burnt at the stake so far but I’m sure the inquisition is looking for me): https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/forum/index.php/topic,9017.0/all.html
‘The Stats’ only tell some of the story – and what they tell is often hotly debated.
Pocock is a great young player, but not yet in the top two for me (he will be soon though)
Nice one Langy..
Coit is only giving me shit coz he lives too close to Canberra. Apparently being born, educated and breastfed by his NSW mothers’ milk isn’t enough to make him a tahs fan in rugby.
Cricket is a different story of course, does the ACT even have a team? Aside from the Prime Minister’s XI for B grade touring sides.
You’re a traitor Coit. …