All Blacks warn Wallabies that Hooper-Pocock tandem attack could backfire
The All Blacks upped the psychological pressure on the Wallabies on Friday ahead of this weekend’s Rugby Championship decider, warning the tandem attack of Michael Hooper and David Pocock could backfire.
The All Blacks upped the psychological pressure on the Wallabies on Friday ahead of their Rugby Championship decider, warning the tandem attack of Michael Hooper and David Pocock could backfire.
The balance of the Australian side raised a few eyebrows in the New Zealand camp but not the experiment of putting tearaways Hooper and Pocock on the park at the same time to gang up on All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.
It simply opened up other areas to exploit, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.
Having both [Hooper and Pocock] out on the field makes sense from their point of view with the way they are playing, so from my point of view I kind of expected it
At stake in the clash at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on Saturday is not just the Rugby Championship crown, which the All Blacks have won for the past three years, but also the chance to strike a mental blow ahead of the World Cup which starts in England next month.
New Zealand and Australia go into the final-round match as the only unbeaten teams following wins over South Africa and Argentina.
The Hooper-Pocock double act has been the main talking point in the build-up, with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika saying both players are in such commanding form he had no choice but to pair them up for the first time.
Pocock will be at number eight with Hooper wearing the number seven jersey and the focus will be on the breakdown where the All Blacks were exposed two weeks ago by South Africa who also fielded two specialist openside flankers.
The 34-year-old McCaw has ruled the collision area for much of past decade and declared himself unfazed by the Wallabies' challenge.
"Having both out on the field makes sense from their point of view with the way they are playing, so from my point of view I kind of expected it, so it doesn't really change a lot how we operate," said McCaw who will have Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read for support.
"I think you realise the breakdown is an area that's hotly contested, whether there's one or two (of them).
"Everyone has an impact there these days, but those two are certainly pretty accurate at that."
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said the positive for the All Blacks in the Hooper-Pocock double act was that it exposed weakness in other areas.
Away from the pressure cooker breakdown, the focus will be on how Matt Giteau, who comes in for Toomua, and fly-half Bernard Foley are able to protect the inside channel.
All Blacks pivot Dan Carter is under orders to test the defences with Sonny Bill Williams outside him and heading back to his best with his telling off-loads.
If the Wallabies defensive line holds it brings the ball-stealing skills of Hooper and Pocock into play, giving them the chance to counter with the elusive skills of Israel Folau and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Equally, any slip up by the Wallabies, who will not have the muscle of the uncompromising Skelton, will give the All Blacks room to unleash their back three of debutant Nehe Milner-Skudder, Julian Savea and Ben Smith.
Milner-Skudder, with his elusive running skills, was one of the most talked about players in Super Rugby this year while Savea has scored 30 tries in 33 tests.
