Age no barrier - Pocock

[travelling_gerry]

Age no barrier - Pocock

• By Greg Davis
• From: The Sunday Telegraph
• June 27, 2010 12:01AM

FLANKER David Pocock says its time for Australia's "generation next" to become "generation now".

The 22-year-old said if players were considered good enough to wear the gold jersey, then they were old enough to get the job done.
"Everyone keeps saying this a young team, which it is," Pocock said.
"But we still have to get results. It is exciting to be a part of this group and you do feel like we are heading in the right direction.
"We have won games, but we have also let a few games slip through our fingers, and that's something we want to address," he said.
Pocock is one of the leaders of Australia's new breed having cemented his place at openside flanker. He has also been touted as a future Test captain.
He is part of a group that could take Australia to at least the next two World Cups, with halfback Will Genia (22), five-eighth Quade Cooper (22), utility back James O'Connor (19), prop Ben Daley (22), centre Rob Horne (20), prop James Slipper (21), hooker Saia Faingaa (23) and fullback Kurtley Beale (21).


Such is the youth in the squad, playmaker Berrick Barnes is almost an elder statesman at 24.
Robbie Deans has handed 24 players a Test debut since beginning as coach in 2008, with forward Mitch Chapman the latest to be elevated to the national side.
Pocock said the youth policy under Deans amounted to a virtual school reunion as many had played together at schoolboys and junior levels.
"For me personally, it's very exciting to be playing alongside guys I've played rugby with since under-15s," Pocock said. "I've played with Quadey [Cooper] since under-15s and played Queensland Schoolboys and all the rest with guys like Will Genia, Ben Daley and Rob Simmons."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225884702667

[WF2006]

Interesting that the incumbent test full-back gets entitled a "utility back" whilst the encumbent bench utility back is known as the full-back??