Tim Horan has no doubt David Pocock can again be among world rugby’s premier flankers

DAVID Pocock has the mental and physical fortitude to swiftly return to Wallaby ranks, despite suffering another season-ending injury.

DAVID Pocock has the mental and physical fortitude to swiftly return to Wallaby ranks, despite cruelly losing a second straight year to a serious knee injury.

That was the shared opinion of Wallaby great Tim Horan and NSW captain Dave Dennis yesterday, who both endured similarly torturous knee injuries but fought back to the Test rugby arena.

Pocock re-injured his left knee for the Brumbies against the Force at the weekend, and after exploratory surgery on Wednesday night, it was determined he required a full reconstruction of his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

It was the same injury — and same surgery — that saw Pocock sit out the entire 2013 season, and another soul-destroying six to nine-month rehab now lays in wait for Pocock.

Questions about Pocock’s long-term future have arisen but Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie said yesterday the flanker was still in his 2015 World Cup plans.

Horan blew out his knee so badly in the Super 10 final in 1994 it was likened to an horrific car crash injury, but after a year in rehab he played in the 1995 World Cup, and then won a second Webb Ellis Cup in 1999.

Horan visited Pocock in a Brisbane hospital yesterday and delivered a copy of a book detailing his recovery. Impressed by Pocock’s post-op positivity, the Test legend had no doubt the Brumbies flanker will be back in gold.

“He’s bitterly disappointed obviously, but he’s also very positive,” Horan said.

“He’s been there before. He knows what it takes to get back, and I have no doubt he can do it.

“David is the type of guy who will put no time frame on it but if everything goes to plan, I believe he can even return to the gold jersey this year (on the Spring Tour).”

Pocock said on social media he was humbled by Horan’s visit.

“Great to have some advice from someone who’s come back from a knee injury far worse than mine,” Pocock wrote.

Dennis knows exactly how Pocock was feeling Thursday after going through back-to-back knee reconstructions in 2007 and 2008.

Then a rookie, Dennis suffered his knee injury on debut in Perth and then after returning, did the other knee in his first NSW training session back.

“It was the worst I have ever felt in my career,” Dennis said.

“When I did my second one I jumped straight in the car and drove to my parents. I was crying down the M2. You feel pretty helpless. If you hadn’t done the work and been lazy, then you could question yourself. But the fact you’ve done everything right and it happens again, that’s just horrible luck.”

Dennis said he believed Pocock’s work ethic, and diverse interests away from rugby, would see him make it back to the top.

“If there is any guy who would, it is Poey. He is extremely dedicated to all the work he does,” Dennis said.

“I hope to see him back as soon as possible. As much as we potentially would have been belting the crap out of each other in two weeks, he is a great player and a good bloke.

“I am hoping he’ll do the work again and get a bit of luck as well along the way, because you need it. And he’s due some too.”

Former Brumbies skipper and current Waratah Stephen Hoiles, who returned to action this season after three years out with an Achilles problem, said a two and a half year layoff (Pocock also missed half of 2012 with a knee injury) wouldn’t end his career.

“When I saw the question posed is the end for Poey, I giggled to myself. It is nowhere near the end if he doesn’t want it to be,” Hoiles said.

“It all depends on his mindset really. I don’t know him that well but he strikes me a bloke who is well balanced off the field, so keeping busy certainly helps. He has other things which are important to him in life.”

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said Australian rugby sympathised with Pocock’s misfortune but said he wasn’t being thrown on the scrap heap.

“To win a World Cup you need quality depth and experience at each position and David has played 46 Tests already, so if he is healthy and in-form it will only benefit the Wallabies,” McKenzie said.

“I have no doubts he’ll continue to be extremely diligent when he begins his rehab and we’re all looking forward to seeing him make a successful comeback in the future.”

Jarrad Butler was named in the Brumbies No.7 jersey to take on the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night, with Ben Mowen back to No.8 and Scott Fardy moved to No.6. Leon Power comes into the team at lock, and despite a neck scare last week, Pat McCabe has returned to the bench.