New Zealand dismiss Australia’s dynamic duo ahead of Sydney showdown

Much has been made of Australia teaming David Pocock, above, with Michael Hooper, but New Zealand does not seem to be impressed ahead of their Rugby Championship showdown at Sydney. Peter Parks / AFP

Agencies

New Zealand upped the psychological pressure on Australia on Friday ahead of their Rugby Championship decider on Saturday, warning that the tandem attack of Michael Hooper and David Pocock could backfire.

The balance of the Australian side raised a few eyebrows in the New Zealand camp but not the experiment of putting tearaways Hooper and Pocock on the park at the same time to gang up on New Zealand captain Richie McCaw.

It simply opened up other areas to exploit, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said.

At stake in the clash at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium today is not just the Rugby Championship crown, which the All Blacks have won for the past three years, but also the chance to strike a mental blow ahead of the Rugby World Cup that starts in England next month.

New Zealand and Australia go into the final-round match as the only unbeaten teams following wins over South Africa and Argentina.

The Hooper-Pocock double act has been the main talking point in the build-up, with Australia coach Michael Cheika saying both players are in such commanding form he had no choice but to pair them up for the first time.

Pocock will be at No 8 with Hooper wearing the No 7 jersey and the focus will be on the breakdown where the All Blacks were exposed two weeks ago by South Africa who also fielded two specialist openside ­flankers.

McCaw, 34, who has ruled the collision area for much of the past decade, declared himself unfazed by the Australian ­challenge.

“Having both out on the field makes sense from their point of view with the way they are playing, so from my point of view I kind of expected it, so it doesn’t really change a lot how we operate,” said McCaw who will have Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read for support.

“I think you realise the breakdown is an area that’s hotly contested, whether there’s one or two (of them).

“Everyone has an impact there these days, but those two are certainly pretty accurate at that.”

Of particular interest to the New Zealand coaches was the inclusion of the mobile Dean Mumm at lock in the Wallabies line-up ahead of the more physical Will Skelton, and the benching of centre Matt Toomua.

“We’ve just got to make sure we take advantage of those weaknesses and make sure that we don’t allow them to have a field day at the breakdown,” Hansen said.

Meanwhile, South Africa captain Jean de Villiers is relishing a return to Test match rugby in what seems certain to be his final Springbok game on home soil against Argentina in the Rugby Championship at Kings Park today.

De Villiers, 34, who is set to lead South Africa at the World Cup in England, said he still has to prove he deserves his place in the squad amid tough ­competition.

De Villiers said it was “highly unlikely” he would play international rugby in 2016, meaning next month’s global showpiece could bring to a close a Springbok career he had feared was already over.

De Villiers required a full knee reconstruction after an injury picked up against Wales in November last year but said the pain, frustration and anxiety caused by that blow is well and truly behind him.

“There were times when I didn’t think I would get here again,” De Villiers said.

“The reality is it will be my last Test in South Africa.

“I can’t see myself playing international rugby next year.”

The centre’s leadership on and off the pitch is highly-valued by coach Heyneke Meyer, but with the emergence of exciting young backline talents in the squad, De Villiers said: “I need to perform good enough to make the 31-man (World Cup) squad.

“The emotion is out of it now, I have made my comeback and I’m not injured anymore.

“It is also about me proving to myself that I am good enough.”

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