And how it showed when he bridged an 18-month gap in his return to Test rugby against Ireland last Saturday. Akin to players such as Brad Thorne, Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, it’s clear that Pocock can again be a force up to next year’s World Cup and beyond. Pocock was hugely instrumental in the 18-9 win in the first Test in Brisbane. A rock in defence with 15 tackles, and two missed, he was a thorn in the Irish side at the breakdown. “Good to start off with a win but I think they’re not number two in the world for nothing.

Source: The Irish Times June 10, 2018 12:56 UTC