The All Blacks say they not only expect David Pocock to end his six-month absence and return for the Wallabies in Perth, they reckon he’ll be straight back “in the thick of it".
And in a likely related development, the Kiwis appear to be strongly considering starting two openside flankers at Optus Stadium, in the shape of Sam Cane and Ardie Savea.
Pocock has not played a game since March after injuring his calf during the Super Rugby season, and after touring with the Wallabies all winter but working on his own, the world-class flanker has been back training with the main squad this week in Perth.
Pocock tweeted as much on Monday and was seen wearing headgear and warming up with the Wallabies forwards on Tuesday; prior to the Aussie session going into lock-down.
The drums are beating loudly that Pocock will come off the bench in the opening Bledisloe game and the All Blacks, who quietly pride themselves on predicting rival selections, say they’re preparing for the 31-year-old to play.
"You always prepare for that sort of scenario. But we have played against those two (Pocock and Michael Hooper) when they play together, a number of times,” All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster said.
"They’re quality footballers so we’re preparing for that. But we also know if he doesn’t make it, there will be someone else there who will do a job. Ultimately whatever happens on Saturday will happen but we are guessing that he will play.”
Cane was more equivocal when asked if he would bet on Pocock lining up for Australia.
“Yep,” Cane said with a grin.
Cane added he didn’t expect a six-month stint on the sidelines would hamper a player of Pocock’s calibre.
"When you have played that much Test match footy and you’re used to playing at Super Rugby level consistently, I think it’s more of a mental than physical thing,” he said.
"I would expect him to come back and be right in the thick of things. Your match fitness is not normally where you want it to be but because you have been in those situations before you can normally just push on through.
"A guy like David Pocock, his best and worst game is not a big margin between them.”
Cane labelled the Pocock-Hooper combination a “dynamic duo” and said their presence on the field heightened the awareness of not getting isolated, for both a ball-runner and the supporting players.
But there is still debate about whether the “Pooper” should be used when Pocock returns after a few years of lean results for the Wallabies followed it’s spectacular debut at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Wallabies at the WACA. Few nuggets: D Pocock in the main group (drums beating he’s close) and the WA team of the century on the scoreboard (terry alderman stiffed) pic.twitter.com/pEWnqH1UB6
— Iain Payten (@iainpayten) August 6, 2019
Without Pocock available this year, the Wallabies have returned to a more traditional back row blend and used the impressive Isi Naisarani at no.8 in the opening two matches of the Rugby Championship.
Among many positive impacts of the Rebel’s inclusion has been the solidification of the Aussie lineout.
With Pocock and Hooper in the pack, the loss of a tall forward has frequently resulted in lineout struggles.
The All Backs stole eight of the Wallabies’ 13 lineout throws in the corresponding opening Bledisloe Cup fixture in Sydney last year.
This year the Wallabies have had four tall jumpers and only lost two line outs from 17 attempts against South Africa and Argentina.
When asked if having Naisarani at no.8 made the Wallabies a different challenge the set-piece, Sam Whitelock - the All Blacks’ lineout leader - said: "Yes and no.”
"Some teams play two sevens so they go to short line outs, other teams play with bigger loose forwards so they might go to more full line outs,” Whitelock said.
"Teams are good enough and skilful enough now it doesn’t actually matter how tall guys are, yes it helps but sometimes the smaller guys are more explosive and faster and that can potentially help to win the ball easier.
"But we will have a real good look. He (Naisarani) is a good ball winner so he does have that skill up his sleeve. It is something we are aware of.”
Whitelock’s answer was perhaps more enlightening when placed in the context of the selection chat coming out of New Zealand, where there’s strong speculation Cane and Savea will join Kieran Read in the backrow.
Foster was giving nothing away when grilled on the potential to play two opensides.
"I will tell you on Thursday. Obviously I am not going to say anything like that so we’ll wait and see,” Foster said.
Cane said he enjoyed playing alongside Savea in the only Test they’d started together, in Argentina last year.
"We commented after the game that was quite cool playing together because normally it is running on and swapping for each other,” he said.
"We enjoyed playing with each other.”
Cane can relate to Pocock’s situation as far as returning from a long-term injury layoff, after the brilliant Chiefs flanker only recently returned from eight months out with a fractured neck, suffered in South Africa last year.
He returned for the Chiefs in May and played his first Test for the All Blacks last month.
Cane said there was natural moments of self-doubt and hesitation but he pushed through the uncertainty.
"There definitely is but it is about your ability to push that to one side,” Cane said.
"You are always going to have those little voices in your brain telling you be careful here and be a little bit hesitant, but you can’t let them become too overpowering. The other part of your brain is saying you’ve done the work you’re right and rip in. For me that took until my second game."
The Wallabies take on New Zealand at Optus Stadium, Perth, on Saturday August 10, kicking off at 5;45pm local, 7;45pm AEST, with the Wallaroos-Black Ferns kicking off at 3pm local, 5pm AEST. The Wallabies are LIVE on Network Ten, FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports and RUGBY.com.au RADIO while the Wallaroos will be shown on FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO.
