Pocock - the future or the now?
Wow. Only five players have worn the Number 7 Wallaby jersey in the last 123 tests. That’s quite a record. It is the same sort of record as scrum half and in both scenarios the position is dominated by a test centurion.
The list of Open Side Flankers for the decade, and their starts, are:
George Smith (70 starts), Phil Waugh (39), David Wilson (7), David Pocock (6), David Croft (1).
What a high quality list. The fact that David Croft only started in one test throughout this period is a fair indication as to the quality that was in front of him. Croft, more because of his lone start, was an obvious player to miss out on our top 3. The other player was more difficult to cut. So let’s go to the G&GR’s selections.
George Smith
George Smith
Smith’s record is exceptional. He was a lay down misere for this top three list, which isn’t shocking anyone. But he came very close to making the list for Number 8s and he is certainly in contention for the Blind Side Flanker short list.
His recognition this year by the readers of Green & Gold Rugby, as the Wallaby Player of the Year is the perfect example of why he is a stand out player. He, along with Stirling Mortlock, is the longest standing current Wallaby, having debuted in 2000. Whilst Mortlock remains injury prone and is weighing up his options overseas. Smith is firing on all cylinders. Perhaps it is because he has a player of the calibre of David Pocock on his tail. Or perhaps it’s just a sign of his utmost commitment and professionalism.
Smith’s test debut, against France at the end of the 2000 year, was purely a sign of things to come. World Champion David Wilson had just retired and Smith was a teenage selected after only a handful of performances for the Brumbies. He would go on to be named Man of the Match, whilst also being yellow carded. It was a typical action packed, yet eye opening, performance by the dreadlocked back rower.
Smith manages to mix the poaching skills of your typical open side flanker, with the strength and running ability of your typical number 8, plus the sleight of hand of your typical centre. Add to this a sometimes frustrating, sometimes amazing kicking game and we have a truly once in a generation player.
Phil Waugh
Phil Waugh
Without discounting the career Waugh has had, you get the impression if it was for a few “if only’s” it could have been something very special. If only he wasn’t born at the same time as George Smith. If only we didn’t have greater forwards strength, in other positions, that would have allowed us to play both Smith and Waugh together more often and more effectively.
It is my belief that if Waugh had been able to cement a spot in the Wallaby starting team than not only would he have been one of our greatest Wallaby forwards, but perhaps one of our greatest all time captains. To me he seems the ideal captain for the Wallabies over the last five to six years.
Passionate. Uncompromising. Inspirational. Dedicated. Motivated. Resilient. All qualities that perhaps lacked in the Wallaby set up after the retirement of John Eales. Waugh had (has) them all as a player and it would have been some watching as he brought them to the Wallabies.
By no means as skilful as Smith, Waugh had the nous that made him a natural open side. He knew the angles to run, the tricks to pull and the plays to make. A massively built man, Waugh wasn’t the type to run in length of the field plays. Throw 20 metre cut outs or opt for a chip n chase. But he was the one at the bottom of the ruck, or around the bootlaces, showing his team mates what he expected of them.
David Wilson
David Wilson
Now this was a tough decision. For a lot of these ‘cusp’ players we had to make sure we were judging them on their contribution in the ‘noughties’ rather than relying on their form in the 99 RWC and previous. For David Wilson, with the emergence of David Pocock, this was of particular relevance.
But David Wilson won through. Because David Wilson won Bledisloes. David Wilson beat the Springboks in the Republic. Wilson didn’t have the size of Pocock or Waugh, or the freaky skills of Smith, or even the raw-boned aggression of David Croft. But it had guts, determination and a massive heart.
To see Wilson throwing his wiring body at the feet of opposition players as he fought for the ball, was undeniably inspiring. To see Wilson pick himself up off the floor after yet another ruck had moved on was to see Wilson at his best. To fight his way to his feet, in those days of rucking, and then race off to the next maul or ruck was to truly appreciate the player that Wilson was.
And then to see, on those rare occasions, Wilson actually get to run with the ball in space, utilising is much undervalued linking skills, was to share in this sense of thrill for Wilson himself as he was someway rewarded for all the hard work he does, with a bit of fun every now and again.
Wilson, along with Jason Little and Richard Harry, retired at the end of the 2000 Tri-Nations a winner, having retained both the Bledisloe and the Tri-Nations. It was an appropriate end to a selfless player who got little of the recognition his higher profile team mates did.
*****
So what do you think? Did we get this one right? Should Pocock have got the call up? Man of the Match in two tests on the Spring Tour is some achievement. Is Smith the certainty for the Team of the Decade I have suggested he is? Or does Wilson deserve more credit? Or Waugh even? Let us know by voting below and then leave a comment here or at the Blog to make your argument.
[poll id="53"]
Tags: David Croft., david pocock, David Wilson, george smith, phil waugh, Wallabies
The artist formerly known as "Noddy" grew up in a golden age of Queensland Rugby and wakes up every morning hoping that THAT day will be the start of a new one. I like to reminisce. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/RugbyReg. 
I remember when I was growing up I use to watch Eastwood play a lot and I remember Richard Harry playing backrow for many seasons. At some point, Bob Dwyer, Rod Macqueen or someone obviously had a word to him and told him that as a flanker he wasn’t going to make it, but as he wsa ‘stocky’ I’m guessing someone from the ARU put im on a weight gain diet and a weights program because he reinvented himself as a prop, and a world class world championship winning prop at that!
My point? I wish someone had of taken Phil Waugh aside years ago and turned him into a hooker. He would have been, and would still be the best hooker in the world in my opinion. The reality was Phil Waugh was always one step behind George Smith and this last decade has largely proved that, with GS seemingly the preferred no 7. Croft would have been a fine deputy for Smith if Waugh had of been a hooker.
I always thought this was as well, what a tighthead he would have made!
Richard (Dick) Harry – toughest, hardest-running loose head prop I ever played with or against. When he dropped back to Fifth Grade at Eastwood to learn his ‘new position’ and dispossessed me it probably cost me my Rugby future!
For my money, George Smith wins this title hands down – a lay-down misere!
Ooooh….
lets not forget…for quite some time, he was playing in the 6 jersey, or 8 jersey for that matter, and even now, i dont think he plays the pure 7 game.
I am not the hugest fan of this man, but i would say Waugh has been the shining pure 7 for Aus. will i generate a lot of opinion, yes….but i still think, when Aus was getting battered around teh ball all this tri nations, and Aus was owndring what its backrow was doing, Smith was out pretending to be an inside centre, Waugh would have been the man for the job.
Australias work at the contest for the ball has been seriosly below average for sometime, i think the pure 7 that Waugh is would help that. but, to be truthful, now with Pocock in the mix…hopefully pocock takes a little more from Waughs game, and a little less from Smiths to be the good mix of those 2, but still compete as a genuine 7.
waugh and smith were the two of the decade…but even then, i guess smith is a fair bit ahead of waugh. the smith and waugh tandem of 2003 was strong, but we’ll never see that again with rocky and co.
Now those guys were players. David Croft. What a player what a champion. However without doubt Smith gets the award.
My heart says Croft – my head says Smith
Cote…..Waugh for the pure 7 he is.
Croft was a very very unlucky man. he is like the Craig Newby or Aus rugby.
Wilson seems to have been forgotten but he was a fantastic Open Side who in his time was in the top two in the world.
However Smith is the the clear winner and for some reason rated behind RM by International Pundits. If Smith had been an AB and played behind their packs for the last decade RM wouldn’t have got a start in my view.
Definitely Smith for the Wallaby “7″ of the decade.
But to say that Richie McCaw wouldn’t get a start in the same team as George is probably a little off the mark. Smith isn’t as big as McCaw and in George’s own words – he doesn’t commit himself to all the battles on the ground. In other words he’s selective about it. Pity he said that in some ways because McCaw isn’t selective about what battles he commits himself to. He throw his body on the line for all of them; which is probably why he’s had so many injuries.
i agree, Gumby probably getting a little too excited there. HA
as for you comment about committing to battles…is that an indication of the ferocity, fitness and just general attitude that is different to NZ rugby than Aus rugy?
and…does having so’oialo…Collins, Read now, etc…and a very physcial backline, mean there are more oportunities, rather than the wallabies who have ot wait for the right time?
i think the team allows McCaw plenty of saps at the ball.
I think the team means Smtih is probably not given as much chance as RM is. but its a fine line.
I had to go Wilson, an under-rated/spoken member of champion Wallaby/Queensland Rugby. The Ultimate Quiet Achiever in my opinion, his record speaks for itself.
I didn’t vote for Wilson but I agree with you Mof – an under-rated player in most rugby memories. He was – and presumably still is – a true champion.
why does everyone say Wilson was underrated.
His battles with Kronfeld are well documented. he captained Qld for quite some time, he was first choice 7 for Aus, and he won a world cup.
Quiet achiever yes…underrated no…the two are mutually exclusive
Guys like Wilson seem to miss out due the the fact the position has changed. Kiwis thought they would never replace Kronfeld and along comes McCaw. Josh who?
I think we don’t give RWC performances enough credit. They are now the coaches brief. Win RWC. That’s it. Like the Olympics. No one cares if you are unbeaten over the 100m for 3 years and 11 months if you come 8th at the big one.
This mainly applies to the Kiwis (:)) but also us as well. McCaw might not have won the 07 WC due to being a team sport, but he wasn’t even in the top 2 or 3 7s at the tournement.
Australian Rugby has got to have the best quality openside flankers in the world. Where do they keep coming from? I feel bad for phil waugh, he is an awesome player n i hope he gets recognised (internationally) as one of the best. Although Smith for the win! He is a wallabies and world rugby LEGEND!
Well, most recently, they come from Zimbabwe.
I can state categorically as I have stood next to all three men over the last few years on separate occasions in public, that Dave Wilson is a big man. I’m six-one and 100+ kgs, and he is a monster standing next to me. I wouldn’t suggest he was as big as Smith or especially Waugh, however don’t make the mistake he isn’t a big unit. One of the key elements of the success of the Reds in the 90’s. Well deserved to be up there with Smith and Waugh despite his comparative marginal playing time.
Yeah, Smith’s not that tall.
liewise stood next to wilson, quite tall…i think a shave taller than Richie McCaw who is a good few centimetres taller than i am.
Wilson…tall
But balding…
By far the toughest choice… even with Smith there.
I wish all the positions were this hard to choose.
Smith by a country mile. Even comparing his best games to the best games of the others he wins. That he is consistently so good and that he is resilient make it a no brainer notwithstanding the quality of the others.
Smith and Waugh would be lucky to be 6 foot but they are nuggets.
I would pick Wilson as no. 2, then Waugh, then Pocock. Pocock’s time will come.