The Tight Five with Jim Tucker: Pocock’s bombshell, Reds’ honeymoon over and turf trouble
RUGBY writer Jim Tucker’s weekly take on the big issues, the wacky and the obscure in the world of union.
Rugby
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Rugby writer Jim Tucker’s weekly take on the big issues, the wacky and the obscure in the world of union.
1. THE POCOCK SABBATICAL
Now David Pocock has reached a deal that has big upsides for Australian rugby, the ACT Brumbies and himself, what does it mean?
In the short term, Pocock will be ploughing everything into sustaining the momentum of the undefeated Brumbies and playing a major role for the Wallabies against Eddie’s England, in The Rugby Championship and on tour in Europe.
His season off next year may have the benefit for the Wallabies of providing young gun Sean McMahon with far more Wallabies opportunities.
Backrower McMahon’s ability to power through tackles and gain that extra metre or two is a huge asset for the Wallabies.
It is for the Melbourne Rebels too as he showed with several key gallops against the Queensland Reds last weekend.
If Pocock is off to Oxford or Cambridge in England to study organic farming or some other passion, terrific.
He’ll be treading the path that Wallabies Dan Vickerman, Joe Roff, Rob Egerton, Brian Smith, Bill Calcraft and co plus humble club prop Tony Abbott have followed over many decades.
A short season culminating in the Varsity match at Twickenham and a Barbarians outing might be the extent of his rugby next year.
People forget that while Pocock is just 27, this is his 11th season as a professional player.
A freshener next year and he’ll be back in a countdown to a third World Cup at 31 in Japan in 2019.
Pocock will always be that wonderful example that rugby has far more to offer than … err … just rugby.
2. HONEYMOON PERIOD
Matt O’Connor and Nick Stiles seem to be managing the interim co-coaching roles thrust on them at the Reds.
There has been some good banter.
To follow up a question about how long the honeymoon period would be for them in charge of the lowly Reds, your scribe asked:
“Does this mean you take the honeymoon suite at each team hotel?”
Stiles was first in: “Yuk.”
3. WHY CAN’T WE GROW GRASS IN AUSTRALIA ANYMORE?
AAMI Park in Melbourne is one of the best little stadiums in the world for watching rugby.
Sadly, last Saturday night’s relaid surface was substandard …. great for running, rubbish for scrummaging.
Any players scrummaging on the retreat felt they were sinking into a sandpit as the turf surface gave way.
Play was delayed for 90 seconds at one point in the first half of the Reds-Rebels game while a frantic member of the ground staff tried to repair the buckled turf and sand with a pitchfork and his hands.
Scrummaging wrecks the most sophisticated grass-mesh surfaces.
4. BIG INJURIES
The Super Rugby season is always part-shaped by the toll on the bodies of the stars.
The Hurricanes have lost All Blacks wing weapon Nehe Milner-Skudder for the season now his busted shoulder needs surgery.
Injured Wallaby lock Kane Douglas is growing restless on the sidelines of Reds training but he is still a long way from a return from his knee reconstruction. July ... maybe.
5. SOUTHS MAKE STATEMENT
Brisbane premiers Souths toppled University 30-20 to make a fine start to the Premier Rugby season last weekend.
The Magpies showed excellent grit after try-scoring Uni backs Tom Banks and Josh Birch had caused them problems early.
Souths halfback Scott Malolua had a sharp game apart from kicking six-from-six while rookie prop Paulo Leleisiuao impressed enough to win immediate promotion to the Queensland Under-20s squad.
Uni host traditional rivals Brothers at St Lucia on Saturday in the latest joust for the Templeton-McLean Cup.
Lions send ominous message to Wallabies with Reds demolition
Joshua Flook and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen scored for the Reds to give the home side an early lead but the British and Irish Lions roared to send an ominous warning to the Wallabies.
Major blow for Wallabies ahead of Lions, discard gets chance
A cornerstone of the Wallabies over the past two years, as evidenced by back-to-back John Eales medals, has succumbed to injury just weeks out from the first Test of the Lions’ series.