Australia Takes on Europe

• October 27th, 2008
• Posted by Grace Tobin

Europe will host the Wallabies in a six-match Spring Tour against Italy, England, France and Wales beginning in November.

The tour concludes on December 3 with a historic match against the top club side Barbarians in London.

Grace Tobin spoke to rising star David Pocock about the Wallabies’ concerns.

The Wallabies begin their tour with the last of the Bledisloe Cup games this year against the All Blacks in Hong Kong on November 1.

The Australian Rugby Union team will then play successive Saturday Tests in Europe for one month.

Young flanker David Pocock has been picked for the Spring Tour squad after a great season with Perth’s team.

The 20-year-old, from Brisbane, though born in Zimbabwe, said the Wallabies were keen to put on a good performance for the tour.

“The team is definitely looking forward to playing England at Twickenham and France in Paris will be massive”, he said.

The match against England, 15.11.08, will be played for the Cook Cup, currently held by Australia after successive victories in 2006.

But Pocock is most excited about the historic finale against the Barbarians at Wembley.

“The Barbarians have a ridiculously star studded line up and [playing at] Wembley is a once in a life time opportunity.”

“There’s not many times you get to play at Wembley, it’s got a capacity of 90,000 and the stadium is also the most expensive stadium ever built”, he said.

The British Olympic Association invited the two teams to play to honor the Olympic Gold Medal for Rugby won by Australia at the 1908 London Olympics.

It is also the 60th anniversary of the teams’ first meeting in January 1948.

The Wallabies lost to the Barbarians 9-6 that time, at Cardiff Arms Park.

Australia plays Italy on 8.11.08, France 22.11.08, and then Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Captain Phil Waugh is looking forward to playing in the tour with Pocock who has had positive reviews training for the Super 14 with the Western Force.

“He’s a nice guy and nice and enthusiastic and is very excited to be here”, he said.

“We’ll be working with each other to win six out of six on the tour.”
Pocock said he was pleased to be on the squad and will look to make the most of it if he plays on the tour.

“Teams get picked every week…but lots of guys go on Spring Tours and never get on the field so I’ll just be hoping I get on”, he said.

“It’s every Rugby player’s dream to play for your country and it’s a massive honour to be a part of the squad.”
The former Anglican Church Grammar schoolboy was scouted in Grade 12 and said he has always enjoyed Rugby.

“I wouldn’t say I was always the best in my team though…I just enjoyed the camaraderie and seeing how far you can push yourself…and I love winning”, he said.

Pocock or ‘Bam Bam’, as his teammates call him, is tipped to be in the running for the 2011 World Cup.

He said France was the European country he was most looking forward experiencing.

“I love seeing how people from different cultures live…Ireland is beautiful and the people are great”, he said.

Born in South Africa, Pocock’s first Rugby team was at Midlands Christian School.

“I was seven…I played in the under 10’s in Gweru, Zimbabwe…South Africa is heaps of fun”, he said.

The Wallabies left Australia (26.10.08) to embark on their challenging tour.

“It’s a long trip and every game will be tough,” said David Pocock.

Reference:

Interview, EU Australia, David Pocock.

Australian Rugby. http://aru.rugby.com.au/aru/search.asp?cat=(ARU)%20rugby.com.au&page=6&query=barbarians&querytype=

Rugby Heaven. http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/news/spring-tour-a-big-challenge-waugh/2008/10/02/1222651225600.html

Live News. http://livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/10/09/

Photo:

Courtesy David Pocock

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