First round of Super Rugby leaves Wallabies with more questions than answer

The Wallabies’ most influential player is battling a series of injuries and nefarious opposition tactics and there is a glaring weakness at one position that may decide their World Cup fate.

Brumbies David Pocock comes off the field for a head injury assessment during the Round 1 Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels at GIO Stadium in Canberra, Friday, February 15, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

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Just one round into Super Rugby, there are already alarming signs for the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign.

Chief among them is the health of David Pocock. Simply, Australia’s already low chances of winning the William Webb Ellis trophy will be reduced to nil if Pocock isn’t playing.

He is the best player in Australia, the most influential in dictating the flow of the game, and the man opponents fear most.

Brumbies David Pocock comes off the field for a head injury assessment during the Round 1 Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and the Melbourne Rebels at GIO Stadium in Canberra, Friday, February 15, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

But Pocock’s persistent head injuries, and lingering neck issues, will be a major concern for the flanker, and all involved in the national program.

Pocock was taken off after just five minutes in the opening round match against Melbourne, and the Brumbies plan to rest him for the next fortnight after he failed a head injury assessment test.

But Pocock’s absence may have to be even longer, given the amount of trauma his head and neck have been suffering.

He expressed frustration at the end of last year at the amount of neck rolls opponents were applying to get him off their ruck ball, and given the way Pocock plays at the breakdown, he will always be prone to heavy contact in the head/neck region.

The 30-year-old, who took a year’s sabbatical in 2017, will have to be the most carefully managed player under the Wallabies’ rest policy this year, but his health must also be the paramount factor in any plan.

Meanwhile, Tolu Latu’s stray lineout throwing against the Hurricanes reminded us all of the Wallabies’ set-piece woes last year.

In the 13 Tests in 2018, Australia’s coach Michael Cheika used seven different combinations of starting and reserve hookers.

By the end of the year, for the two biggest games of the spring tour against Wales and England, he’d settled on Latu as his starting No.2.

Tolu Latu's general play is good, but serious issues remain over his lineout throwing.

But the lineout was shaky, and when Latu came off the NSW bench against the Canes, it was hoped he’d show the accuracy to restore faith.

Instead, he threw one that wasn’t straight, giving the ball to the Canes with which they scored the decisive try.

Then, as NSW pushed desperately for a score three minutes after full-time, Latu’s lineout throw was intercepted, the Canes kicked the ball out, and NSW had lost by one point.

Cheika used Latu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Folau Fainga’a and Brandon Paenga-Amosa as starting hookers last year while young gun Jordan Uelese was sidelined with injury.

Uelese is still weeks away from returning to the Rebels.

At the World Cup, there will be throws that determine the fate of games.

One of these men must stand up over the next few months to show they have the mettle to deal with that pressure.

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