Recruit Pocock, urges retiring Red

[chook]

whats it like?

[laura]

Force search for ways to keep youngest veteran
DAVE HUGHES WELLINGTON
9 May 2008


Super 14’s youngest veteran will let the Western Force know in the next 10 days if he has opted to stay in Perth.

In-demand David Pocock, a key player for the Force in tonight’s match against the third-placed Hurricanes, revealed yesterday he would determine his rugby future before the semifinals.

“I’m very keen to get it out of the way in the next week or so,” Pocock said before the captain’s run at Westpac Stadium yesterday.

Retiring Queensland flanker David Croft has urged the Reds to do whatever it takes to lure Pocock back to Brisbane.

The onus is on new Force chief executive Greg Harris to put together a package to keep the future Wallaby in WA, especially after the club yesterday missed out on Test hooker Stephen Moore, who opted for the Brumbies.

Last month, Pocock’s agent, Anthony Piccone, let slide an Aust- ralian Rugby Union deadline to sign a contract, creating concern the Force starter would move to Europe.

However, he is believed to be deciding between life in Perth and Brisbane because his comments at the captain’s run yesterday indicated he placed a priority on becoming a Wallaby.

“The selectors are after consistency and that’s my goal, too,” he said. “Guys like Phil Waugh and George Smith don’t have blinders every game but they’re always solid.”

Although Pocock turned 20 last week, he is already acting as an adviser to Force rookies Kieran Longbottom, Dane Haylett-Petty and Josh Tatupu.

“It’s good to chat to them and give them tips if they ask things,” he said, just two years after making his Super 14 debut in the final match of the 2006 season.

Force captain Nathan Sharpe said the big contingent of players on this trip who had no or minimal Super 14 experience could provide unexpected problems for the Hurricanes.

“For one, the Hurricanes won’t have scouted them,” he said. “And the young blokes have nothing to lose. They’ll go out there and show what they can do.”

The Force enter the penultimate round seven points outside the top four and to advance need to not only beat the Hurricanes tonight and the Brumbies at home next Friday, but have sides ahead of them crash and burn.

Much interest is on how Force centres James O’Connor, 17, and Tatupu, 21, will go against All Black duo Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

Sharpe said the key was for the Force backs to make first-time tackles, especially with Nonu being the competition’s equal-top try scorer.

“The Hurricanes lead the way in converting line breaches into tries,” he said. “We have to put them on the ground straight away and prevent offloads.”

The Hurricanes will rest injured All Black forward Jerry Collins.

[JediKnight]

Don't think Pocock will head to Europe....wouldn't be a wise move at age 20. However, I suspect he may be heading back to Qld otherwise he would've already re-signed for the .

[TOCC]

2 months ago when the Force were winning and the Brumbies had just smashed the Reds, i thought there was no chance he would join the Reds. But the longer it draws out the bigger chance of him defecting i feel.