Hooper can’t wait to pair up with Pocock in Australian back row
AUSTRALIA captain Michael Hooper is relishing the opportunity to link up with David Pocock for the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup opener against Fiji on Saturday.
Coach Michael Cheika has selected the experienced pair in his back row for the match in Sapporo, as they kick off a campaign that will also see them take on Wales, Georgia and Uruguay in Pool D.
The inclusion of Pocock (below) at blindside at the expense of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is the only variation from the team that started last month’s impressive 47-26 victory over New Zealand in Perth.
The duo will be joined in the back row by number eight Isi Naisarani – one of three Fijiborn starters in the Australia XV.
“I am a fan of his [Pocock’s] work on the field, his ability to go over the ball, coupled with Isi – he can get over the ball too and he has got a great attacking game and some good defence work too,” said Hooper, who also started alongside Pocock in the 2015 final.
“It’s the first time this year we have played this sort of combination. It is going to be a really good challenge for us coming up against a big back five in their forward pack. We have got to combat what they bring in that area.”
Cheika previously commented that unpredictability would be a theme running through the Wallabies’ World Cup challenge, but Fiji counterpart John McKee believes his side are capable of handling the Australian game plan. “Michael Cheika might think his team is unpredictable – I like to think we have got some unpredictability about us as well, with the type of players we have got with our outside backs, and among our forwards as well,” he said. France head coach Jacques Brunel has put his trust in youth and backed fly-half Romain Ntamack by naming him in his starting XV for the World Cup Pool C opener against Argentina.
Fly-half Ntamack is the 20-year-old son of former France international Emile and he will start alongside scrum-half Antoine Dupont, who is only two years his senior and chosen ahead of the experienced Maxime Machenaud.
Camille Lopez, another option at 10 for Les Bleus, starts on the bench, and
Brunel believes a youthful start followed by an experienced hand to close out the game is his best strategy.
“He [Ntamack] has started for us several times and we think that having Romain at the beginning of the game and Camille Lopez in the second part is the most satisfactory solution for us,” said Brunel.
“We have an experienced bench that will hopefully bring something to the second half of the game. Our thinking is that the game will probably be close and the second half decisive.”