Rugby World Cup: Wallabies stars David Pocock, Michael Hooper out to cause more havoc

THE dynamic Wallabies back row duo of David Pocock and Michael Hooper have a newsflash for future opponents: we will only get better together with each game.

Fiji's Netani Talei is tackled by Australia's David Pocock, right, and Michael Hooper during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Fiji at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

BETWEEN them they made one-third of all the Wallabies’ tackles, scored two-thirds of their tries and put 100 per cent of future World Cup rivals into nervous sweats.

But the dynamic Australian back row duo of David Pocock and Michael Hooper have a newsflash for those future opponents: we will only get better together with each game.

“There is always improvement; you are always chasing improvement,” Hooper said.

David Pocock and Michael Hooper work in tandem to stop Fiji.

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It might be tough to nominate where that improvement will come, however, after Pocock and Hooper turned in outstanding performances - both individually and in tandem - in the Wallabies’ win over Fiji in Cardiff.

Pocock was named man-of-the-match for scoring two tries, effecting three turnovers and making 16 tackles. Only Hooper did more in defence, making 22 tackles.

In their second game starting alongside each other, their combined tally of 38 was almost one-third of the Wallabies 117 total tackles.

But it was their combined presence that arguably did most damage, with Fiji rarely able to take the ball up without one of the pair either putting on a tackle and hitting the breakdown.

“It is nice when you are getting up from something and you look up and see your no.8 getting a turnover. Or getting a lot of turnovers,” Hooper said.

“Poey is fantastic in that space. He is a good voice, another leader, he brings up great points on the field. I am really enjoying working with Poey and tonight his start to the World Cup was great.”

Hooper has turned into a defensive missile this winter, freed up by Pocock from on-ball duties.

“We are not on there to do the same role,” Hooper said.

“You want to try and have as many facets as you can. So that’s something that hopefully will develop nicely, understanding each others games and working our different strengths into the team performance. That will come from playing more together. We are both trying to add value, and it is a work in progress but it is working nicely so far.”

Pocock said he, too, was pleased with the progress of the dual openside combination but agreed it had not yet reached its potential.

“We’ve been working pretty hard at training to try to get the combination working,” Pocock said.

“It’s hard to tell how it went .. we’ll watch the video a few time and no doubt there will be plenty to improve on. But I think Hoops and Fards (Scott Fardy) got through a lot of work.

“It’s not just two, Fardy is a pretty experienced campaigner now and has a few good goes over the ball. That’s what you want from the back row, to get through a lot of work and make impact at key moments.”

Used as the designated tail gunner, Pocock scored twice in the first half from rolling mauls; a tactic also used successfully by the Brumbies this season.

The fledgling No.8 said he expected it would be a strategy the Wallabies would continue to turn to at the World Cup.

“It’s one aspect of our game and when we get the opportunity, you take it,” he said.

“We’ve seen a lot of teams using the maul as an attacking weapon in the 22m this year and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of it in the coming games. It’s something we do well and we’ll use it when we think the time is right.”​

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Wallabies stars David Pocock, Michael Hooper out to cause more havoc