Tuesday’s rugby news has the Wallaby captaincy under scrutiny, Pocock fighting the man, Cooper keeping his hopes alive and the try of the year awarded.
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Hooper still captaincy lock
Despite the impending return of former captain Stephen Moore from injury, it appears that current Wallabies leader Michael Hooper will retain his position, given a vote of confidence by coach Michael Cheika. “It’s going to be about deciding what’s best for the team and right now, I’ll be truthful, I’m very happy with the job Michael Hooper is doing,” Cheika said.
The Wallaby coach cited Hooper’s work rate, consistency and commitment in evidencing his leadership qualities despite the fact that Dave Dennis will continue to be Waratahs captain. Fair statement or Waratah bias? Give us your thoughts in the comments.
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Pocock warned over protest
David Pocock has been issued an official warning by the ARU after he was charged for his part in a coal-mine protest which also was found to have breached the ARU’s code of conduct. Pocock has recently returned to full Brumbies training and the ARU has felt that he was getting distracted by off-field issues during his extended knee injury rehab.
“While we appreciate David has personal views on a range of matters, we’ve made it clear that we expect his priority to be ensuring he can fulfil his role as a high-performance athlete,” the statement read. Pocock further emphasised his concerns about the local community affected as well as the need for climate change activism.
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Cooper retains RWC hopes
Former Test flyhalf Quade Cooper has emphasised his desire to achieve World Cup success as a starter rather than the “closer” role that he and Reds halves partner Will Genia have been labelled with by Michael Cheika. “No-one is saying that they’re going to be a back-up player,” Cooper said, emphasising that the Australian rivalry matches of the Super Rugby Season will act as competition for starting spots.
The Reds playmaker also said that he had grown since the disasterous showing in the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. The constant Kiwi sledging put Cooper well and truly off his game but he asserted, “That sort of crowd reaction is something I’ve been able to adapt to over the past few years.”
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Hougaard wins try of the year
Francois Hougaard’s try during the Springboks’ win over New Zealand during the Rugby Championship has been named the Try of the Year for 2014. As emphasised by World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset, “Hougaard’s try stood out for the judges due to the high level of skills involved by different players, and, most importantly, the teamwork required to make it happen.”
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