David Pocock ready to ignite backrow duel with Michael Hooper

DAVID Pocock is ready to return for an epic backrow duel with Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper to help the Brumbies usurp the Waratahs as Australia’s hottest outfit.

Super Rugby Western Force vs Brumbies. David Pocock

DAVID Pocock is ready to return for an epic backrow duel with Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper to help the ACT Brumbies usurp the NSW Waratahs as Australia’s hottest outfit.

Brumbies coach Steve Larkham did his best to portray how hard it would be to change his winning backrow but Pocock’s immense impact is not meant for the bench when he is fit.

After a month on the sidelines, flanker Pocock has beaten a high ankle sprain and is ready to tangle with Hooper for the first time in two years in Sunday’s high-stakes derby at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

“’Poey’ is itching to get back into this season. It’s just a difficult decision to have with the backrow doing really well over the past few weeks,” Larkham said last Saturday night’s 29-0 shutout of the Reds at Suncorp Stadium.

Pocock’s physicality and breakdown nous will be big assets against the big bodies of the Waratahs pack, who are nursing the disappointment of a weekend trip-up in Dunedin and a modest 2-2 record this season

Larkham said bullocking No.8 Ita Vaea’s top performance against the Reds was the tip of the iceberg for a player he believes has a Wallaby future.

“Ita has been fantastic for us. His workrate is phenomenal and he’s working hard to build on the gains of the off-season (losing 30kg) in his fitness,” Larkham said.

Larkham indicated how big he regarded the rivalry with old enemies, the Waratahs, which was forged in his early playing days in the 1990s.

“We had guys at the Brumbies who were probably bitter and twisted they didn’t get an opportunity with the Waratahs, came to us as offcuts and proved they could actually mix it on that Super Rugby stage,” Larkham said.

Brumbies skipper Steve Moore said that history has stirred a combustible rivalry to this day.

“We are going to embrace it. There are a number of people who have gone before us at the Brumbies and have gone hammer and tongs in this fixture, and we will go and out do that as well this Sunday,” Moore said.

A decision is expected this morning on Liam Gill’s wrestling-style body slam after the Reds flanker’s citing from the game against the Brumbies.

The Reds met with judicial officer Robert Stelzner yesterday to resolve the dangerous tackle charge after Gill flipped Brumbies halfback Nic White when he was interfering on the edge of the ruck.

Originally published as David Pocock ready to ignite backrow duel with Michael Hooper