Rubbish comment, not to say at best Pocock wasnt very very good but you should have stuck with your first line "futile exercise comparing'. Hooper has been laying guys out in defence for the last two years. I believe he easily commands and deserves the respect of pocock.
Australia v New Zealand - Sydney 16 Aug
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Pfitzy
George Gregan (70)
Bullrush
John Hipwell (52)
KB (Kurtley Beale) is the most like for like replacement for Quade cooper, I think that his form has more then marginally improved in the later rounds of super rugby. It also pleases me from a indication on how we are going to play as he with Izzy are our best counter attack options in the country. Bravo link.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Yeah I'm sure the Waratahs and Wallabies will be laughing their heads off.....
Bullrush
John Hipwell (52)
Not at Test level. At Super Rugby he has been great but Pocock was starting to be touted as the best 7 in the game by even Bok and AB fans - he was that good. And that was 3 years ago when Richie was probably going a step better than he is right now. A small step. A very small step. LOL
The first chink in the Sir Richie is Invincible (TM) armour has been acknowledged by one of his Disciples from the Land of Mordor.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Not at Test level. The difference is Hooper smashes Habana but Pocock smashes Schaulk Burger and that's a big difference IMO.
Hooper still needs to be more physical and aggressive at Test level - which he has been this season at super level so hopefully he can transfer that against the AB's. But until then, don't expect the likes of the AB's or Boks to fear Hooper the way they fear Pocock.
agree with @Bullrush.
It's nerves. There is a big game on this Saturday, ... .... .... .... .... .... and after the Shute Shield Grand Final, there will be a game out at Homebush as well.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
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Tip
Guest
I hate to flog a dead horse, but has Hooper been nominated for IRB player of the year?
Was Hooper the first choice Wallaby captain?
Whilst Hooper is a brilliant and effective PLAYER, he is a 6 masquerading as a 7. Hooper doesn't shift bodies at the breakdown, he isn't a breakdown pest and he doesn't have the strength over the ball at the ruck that Pocock has. All of the Core duties of a 7.
Hooper is a better ball runner(Core duty of a 6)
Just sayin', Hooper is far from perfect, and until he seagulls less and moves bodies and COMPETES more at the breakdown more (you know, what a 7 is meant to do) - the "bullshit" of "Pocock is clearly superior" will continue.
And rightly so.
P.S. If anyone replies to this post and says "it's all about balance, Fardy provides the fetching " - go uppercut yourself. A 6 should always be capable of pestering the breakdown. It does not mean the 7 can ignore his core duties.
P.P.S. I agree @Lewisr; Hooper will play out of his skin tomorrow night.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Pocock doesn't have to look over his shoulder towards Hooper. He is now looking straight ahead at the bloke
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Train Without a Station
Guest
Tip you're off your head if you think a 6's job is to run in the wider channels and a 7's is to run in the tighter channels. Why do you reckon the bloke is the smallest forward in the pack?
You don't employ a 7 to outmuscle the bigger players, if you did they wouldn't all be the size of a centre. You employ them to beat the bigger players to the breakdown, be more mobile and therefore do it more frequently.
A 7 shouldn't be fucking around wasting their time in tight congested breakdowns. That's where tight forwards are supposed to be working funnily enough - in the tight.
I'd go as for as to argue that any 7 working inside the 10's shoulder in general play is bludging and being ineffective. He should be working his ass off covering the ground outside there.
You don't employ a 7 to outmuscle the bigger players, if you did they wouldn't all be the size of a centre. You employ them to beat the bigger players to the breakdown, be more mobile and therefore do it more frequently.
A 7 shouldn't be fucking around wasting their time in tight congested breakdowns. That's where tight forwards are supposed to be working funnily enough - in the tight.
I'd go as for as to argue that any 7 working inside the 10's shoulder in general play is bludging and being ineffective. He should be working his ass off covering the ground outside there.
Pocock wasn't first choice Wallaby captain either.
Hooper did top the pilfer/forced penalty count in test rugby last year.
This is becoming such a silly discussion.
Pocock was rightly nominated for the IRB player of the year in 2010 and 2011. It's probably worth noting that the IRB have reduced the number of nominated players by 2 and 1 in 2012 and 2013 compared to when Pocock was nominated.
If the Wallabies are to get close to winning the Bledisloe and/or Rugby Championship this year, we probably need Hooper to be one of the nominations at the end of 2014.
M
Moono75
Guest
My tip is Pocock will have fuck all impact on the outcome of the 2014 Rugby Championship. Hooper on the other hand will. Lets focus on the here and now. Next thing we will start debating the merits of which Wallabies to bring back if and when genetic cloning becomes the norm in the future 
.....actually can I start a new thread 'Which Australian Rugby Players Deserve Reincarnation In Vitro Experimentation'......ain't gonna happen.....so back to whats really going to have an effect on the outcome of this Saturday's game........GREEN & GOLD BLOODY DEVIL DOGS ripping into those AB's!
Go you Wallabies!
.....actually can I start a new thread 'Which Australian Rugby Players Deserve Reincarnation In Vitro Experimentation'......ain't gonna happen.....so back to whats really going to have an effect on the outcome of this Saturday's game........GREEN & GOLD BLOODY DEVIL DOGS ripping into those AB's!
Go you Wallabies!
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Tip
Guest
Sorry, I should have stipulated. Hooper is a better ball runner in the wider channels, Pocock is a better ball runner in the around the ruck. What I meant was a 6's core duty is to be an effective ball runner.
Re: 7's working inside the 10's shoulder. Pocock was more often than not involved in the ruck. So he starts inside the 10. Is he ineffective? No.
Furthermore, saying a 7 shouldn't be wasting their time in tight congested breakdowns... I can't agree with you there. Pocock regularly injected himself into breakdowns that he had no chance of winning. He wanted to slow down the oppositions ball, which he did to aplomb. Hooper doesn't do this. Gill does! Which probably goes some way into deciphering why people vouch(/ed) for Gill over Hooper.
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Tip
Guest
It wasn't bagging, I was comparing Pocock to Hooper. I did say he was a brilliant and effective player didn't I?
I can dislike the way a player plays the game, but I can also think that Hooper will play well can't I.
I think Hooper will make a line break or two, make his tackles and secure lots of ball - he will play well.
However, he won't put outrageous amounts of pressure on the All Blacks ruck.
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