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Pooper v Kamikaze Kids: Blockbuster battle between flankers could be the difference between Australia and England
Pooper against the Kamikaze Kids.
It sounds like something a Japanese anime artist might dream up, not the front line battle that could decide the fate of the Australia-England Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
Two sets of openside flankers boasting the same ball-hunting modus operandi but hailing from vastly different backgrounds, will square off on Saturday.
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Wallabies Michael Hooper and David Pocock will start a 27th test together as “Pooper” and hope their experience can make a difference at Oita Stadium.
The pair who share 180 caps between them were stars at the 2015 World Cup but haven’t hit those heights yet in Japan.
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In the white corner are English tyros Sam Underhill, 23, and Tom Curry, 21, owners of just 28 combined caps and who started their first Test as a pairing less than two months ago.
They were dubbed the “Kamikaze Kids” by England coach Eddie Jones, for their trail of destruction they leave at training as much as their unrelenting energy on the playing field.
Wallabies skipper Hooper, who is only 27, was asked if he felt old lining up against the pair who earlier in the week said they were teenagers when they began admiring the Pooper combination’s influence on games.
“I look old, I don’t know if I feel old,” Hooper said.
“As far as experience goes, you could go, yeah, it’s great to have experience but also being youthful is of benefit. I have been in their shoes before, being wide-eyed, ready to attack things.”
Bath forward Underhill said the Wallabies pair blazed a trail for what is becoming a trend among leading nations.
Other leading nations such as New Zealand have reverted to twin openside flankers for the World Cup.
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Billy Vunipola has done his bit to ensure there is no complacency when England tackle Australia in the World Cup quarter-final https://t.co/XRucBsHFcV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2019
“Pocock is probably the best in the world in terms of how strong he is, and his body position. On top of that they have good timing,” Underhill said.
“I think timing is probably the most important of the two.
“But in a way they are kind of a victim of their own success. You can see how much emphasis teams put on negating players who are good at the breakdown now.”
Hooper believed an important factor will be adjusting quickly to the breakdown boundaries established by French referee Jerome Garces.
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He and Pocock found success attacking turnover ball in some pool games, which suits the Wallabies’ strengths, but definitely not in others.
“I have observed the ruck being refereed a multitude of ways, not any one way in particular. So, it’s made it quite tricky there,” he said.
Jones backed his tearaways, in conjunction with bullocking No.8 Billy Vunipola, to at least hold their own.
He rated Pocock the best No.7 in the world over the last decade, even eclipsing All Blacks great Richie McCaw, while Hooper had developed into a “massively important” leader for the Wallabies.
“But our two young boys are just getting better every game,” Jones said.
AAP
DMWJ | Jim breaks down England vs Australia:
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
5 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
5 Go to comments