Minister congratulates Pocock

B-Metro

14-20 October 2011

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, has congratulated Zimbabwean, David Pocock for a sterling performance that helped Australia beat defending champions South Africa in the quarter finals of the World Cup in New Zealand last Sunday.

Pocock was born in the country and then migrated to Australia, where he made it to the national team. The South Africans have Zimbabwean Tendai Mtwarira in their books but he did not feature in the match.

“Congratulations to Zimbabwean David Pocock for securing the Wallabies place in the Rugby Eorld Cup semi final,” said Coltart on the social network site Facebook on Monday.

Pocock proved to be the Wallabies’ ‘Jewel of a Jackal’ when winning 11-9 over the Springbocks.

The 23 year old flanker, who moved to Australia from his Zimbabwe as a teenager, produced a stunning display in the Wallabies’ quarter-final victory over.

He put in 26 tackles but more importantly continued to gorge his trade in forcing turnovers at the breakdown.

In the absence of Springbok ‘fetcher’ Heinrich Brussow, who went off injured after 20 minutes, Pocock totally dominated the breakdown to help set up a semi-final against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand next weekend. Australia coach Robbie Deans labelled Pocock’s performance as the best individual display of the 2011 tournament.

“Immense. David Pocock’s game was remarkable,” he said. “And it was bigger than he got credit for.

“He’s clearly a huge influence in any game he plays in and we’d clearer be poorer for his absence.

“The world is blessed with some very good snafflers at the moment and no doubt people will be looking forward to next week, to that end,” he said of Pocock’s likely duel with All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.

Pocock has amassed 37 caps in the three years since making his debut, but was back on the field on Sunday for his first full game since missing the Wallabies’ shock 15-6 pool loss to Ireland.

“We were very confident and clear what we wanted to do,” Pocock said. “But they pinned us in our half for long periods of the game.

“Because we were defending for so long there were great opportunities at the breakdown.

“Losing Brussow was definitely a blow for them,” Pocock admitted. “He’s a quality player and he puts a lot of pressure on the breakdown.”

Deans acknowledged that New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence’s ‘anything goes’ approach to the breakdown had helped Pocock’s game.

“I think both sides were hard done by. It was a hotly contested area so maybe it evened out, maybe it was fair,” he said. Deans added of his star flanker, who took the number seven shirt from the legendary George Smith:

“David was one of the International Rugby Board players of the year last year (Pocock was a nominee for an award won by McCaw) and you do not get that status lightly.

“He is an influential player who makes things happen.”

Springbock flanker Schalk Burger called Pocock a “fantastic player”.

“Getting him back is a massive boost for Australia,” Burger said. “You know that if he gets the opportunity he will turn over possession.

“Any team knows that if it dominates the breakdown it will go well in the game and Pocock is one of the best openside flankers in the world.”

The other semifinal will feature Wales and France on Saturday with the hosts playing Australia on Sunday.