The ACT Brumbies believe David Pocock's best is yet to come after he produced his best performance in three years and proved his doubters wrong in New Zealand on Friday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Coach Stephen Larkham hailed Pocock as a "game changer" and captain Stephen Moore believes the openside flanker will add the breakdown presence Australian rugby has been missing.
Pocock took a giant step in putting his injury plagued two-and-a-half years behind him with an outstanding performance in the Brumbies' 16-14 loss to the Auckland Blues.
Pocock's superb breakdown work and five steals almost saved the Brumbies from a heartbreaking defeat.
But while the Brumbies were licking their wounds, the sight of Pocock in full flight will ease some of the pain after two knee reconstructions and only eight games for the club since moving to Canberra in 2013.
"He's a game changer and [against the Blues] … he was superb both with his carries and over the ball at the breakdown," Larkham said.
"Once he gets his hands on the ball at the breakdown, you can't move him.
"He probably didn't get any pay out of what he was doing in the first half, but he got the rub of the green in the second half."
The Brumbies are keen to re-sign Pocock and keep him Canberra beyond the end of the year.
It's understood negotiations are yet to begin as the ARU waits to see how Pocock recovers from his knee problems before tabling a contract.
But on the evidence of his Blues performance, powerbrokers will be working to finalise details to ensure the 45-Test Wallaby stays in Australian rugby.
Pocock has battled through injury pain since signing a three-year deal with the Brumbies.
He played three games in 2013 before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and then played two games in 2014 before doing the same injury and needing his second knee reconstruction.
He had hoped to get a full season this year, but played 60 minutes with an ankle syndesmosis injury in round one and was sidelined for the following four weeks.
Pocock will compete with incumbent Wallabies captain Michael Hooper for the Test No.7 jersey.
Hooper is a star in his own right, but offers a vastly different set of tricks than Pocock.
NSW Waratahs flanker Hooper is an attacking star and defensive workhorse, but he doesn't offer the same breakdown presence that Pocock can.
Turnovers at the breakdown will be crucial to the Wallabies' hopes of making a charge at the World Cup this year.
"I thought Poey was terrific, he's only going to get better the more games he plays," Moore said.
"You really notice his presence out on the field … it's great to see him get through 80 minutes week to week now.
"There are guys around Australia who are effective on the ball, it's a real strength of David's game and it's great to see that it's coming out again."
The Brumbies' next challenge is a clash against the Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
They play their next three games at home before a two-game tour of South Africa to play the Cape Town Stormers and Johannesburg Lions.
