Wallabies spring tour: No complacency against France: Pocock

Wallabies star David Pocock says the team will not get complacent against France.

David Pocock is relishing his chance to play blindside flanker.

Wallabies star David Pocock says the team will not get complacent against France despite the result not affecting their chances of a Grand Slam.

Changes are likely to the side which defeated Scotland last weekend, as coach Michael Cheika looks to give wider training squad players an opportunity while also resting some big guns for the final two games against Ireland and England.

Having won their opening two Tests on tour, 32-8 against Wales and then 23-22 against Scotland, Australia can claim their first Grand Slam since 1984 by defeating Ireland and England in the final fortnight of the tour.

Sandwiched between the Grand Slam Tests is this looming match against France, which shapes as a potential banana skin game that could stop Australia’s momentum.

“Every game in the Wallaby jersey, you want to be at your best,” Pocock said.

“There’s great competition in the squad. The guys who haven’t been pulling on the jersey on Saturday afternoon have been working incredibly hard, so there’s a bunch of guys that are jumping out of their skin to play.

“We’re certainly not going to let our guard down. We’ll be working hard this week and trying to put in a really good performance leading into the last two.”

As for resting frontline players for the game, Pocock said replacement players on tour would be just as capable against an unpredictable French outfit.

“I leave all that stuff to the coaches. They work very hard so they’ll make all those decisions,” Pocock said. “As players, the match 23 have been working very hard and the other boys are probably working even harder, training every day. They were out there doing fitness on Saturday morning (before the Test).

“Whoever pulls on that jersey over the next week or so will do us proud.”

Pocock was brilliant at the breakdown last weekend against Scotland, pilfering key ball and slowing down the locals’ attack at Murrayfield in a vintage display despite that being just his second game playing at blindside flanker.

“I’m still learning that role, and trying to look at training and games,” Pocock said.

“Every opportunity is an opportunity to improve when you’ve only played 100 minutes at blindside, but it’s exciting. You’d play anywhere to be out there so I’m certainly not complaining.”

Australia managed to pull out a win against all odds, after Scotland played far better throughout the match and outscored the Wallabies three tries to two.

But the tourists showed their ability to withstand the furnace when Tevita Kuridrani scored the match-winning try in the 75th minute. Bernard Foley’s conversion put them ahead for the first time in the game.

“(It shows) that you believe in each other,” Pocock said. “Guys stuck to how we wanted to play and Tevita pulled out a big play to get the try so it’s certainly a group that’s been working hard over the last few months.

“We haven’t had the results we’ve been after, but the next three weeks are a great opportunity for us to work towards that.”