The ACT Brumbies have written to Rugby Australia this week to ask for help in lobbying SANZAAR officials to take a stance against the dangerous tactic used to dislodge Pocock from his position over the ball.

Two Wellington Hurricanes players escaped with slaps on the wrist from Super Rugby after one grabbed and twisted Pocock's head and the other flipped the Brumbies openside flanker upside down.

The illegal play enraged the Brumbies, particularly because World Rugby issued an edict to protect players' heads and that the minimum penalty for such actions was a yellow card on the field.

The Hurricanes players - Gareth Evans and Julian Savea - were given post-game warnings by the citing commissioner for their illegal play on Pocock, but they did not face a judiciary and were not suspended.

"We're still coming to terms with the fact World Rugby found Israel Folau guilty and gave him a one-week suspension for contestable contact in the air," former hooker Brendan Cannon said on Kick and Chase.

"[The neck roll on Pocock] is a deliberate action by an opposing player on one of the world's best openside flankers. If we want to make our game safe and clean, and have people wanting to be an openside flanker like David Pocock, we've got to protect these guys.

"I can't believe World Rugby, or SANZAAR, have allowed ... Gareth Evans got a warning. That was deliberate intent to get David Pocock off the ball. Once he gets in that position, it's really hard to move him.

"But you've got to concede. You can't endanger someone's livelihood by potentially breaking his neck by pulling him out like that."

Former Brumbies and Wallabies skipper George Gregan and Drew Mitchell backed Cannon's plea for more protection for Pocock.

"He's over the ball, he's got all the rights to it and they didn't move him so [Pocock] should not be attacked around the head in a way that can threaten or endanger him," Gregan said.

"That's an obvious one that really needs to be cleared up ... Poey is one of many great No. 7s that have played in that position. You attack the No. 7. You don't want them anywhere near the ball, but you want to get rid of them legally. That's the issue. Do it properly, don't endanger the person."

The World Rugby edict two years ago was for a "zero-tolerance" stance against all dangerous tackles, which included: "grabbing and rolling or twisting around the head/neck area even if the contact starts below the line of the shoulders."

The Brumbies are furious Super Rugby has allowed teams to illegally target Pocock at the breakdown. The club was told earlier this season a neck roll on Pocock by an Otago Highlanders player didn't even warrant a warning.

Pocock has been in brilliant form this season after returning from a 12-month Australian rugby sabbatical. He leads the competition in pilfers and is making almost 11 tackles per game despite copping a battering.

The 30-year-old will be crucial to the Brumbies' hopes of keeping their season alive when they play the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.

The Brumbies flew to New Zealand on Thursday, but hit a hurdle before they managed to get out of Canberra when fog delayed their flight to Sydney.

The Brumbies need to win their last two games of the regular season and rely on results in other games to be any hope of making the finals for a sixth consecutive year.

SUPER RUGBY ROUND 18

Saturday: Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 3.15pm. TV time: Live on Fox Sports.

Brumbies: 15. Tom Banks, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Kyle Godwin, 11. Andy Muirhead, 10. Christian Lealiifano (c), 9. Joe Powell, 8. Isi Naisarani, 7. David Pocock, 6. Tom Cusack, 5. Blake Enever, 4. Rory Arnold, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Folau Faingaa, 1. Nic Mayhew. Reserves: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. Ben Alexander, 18. Les Leuluaialii-Makin, 19. Richie Arnold, 20. Lachlan McCaffrey, 21. Matt Lucas, 22. Wharenui Hawera, 23. Lausii Taliauli.

Chiefs: 15. Solomon Alaimalo, 14. Toni Pulu, 13. Sean Wainui, 12. Charlie Ngatai, 11. Shaun Stevenson, 10. Damian McKenzie, 9. Brad Weber, 8. Liam Messam, 7. Sam Cane, 6. Luke Jacobson, 5. Tyler Ardron, 4. Michael Allardice, 3. Angus Ta'avao, 2. Nathan Harris, 1. Karl Tu'inukuafe. Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Sam Prattley, 18. Jeff Thwaites, 19. Jesse Parete, 20. Lachlan Boshier, 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22. Marty McKenzie, 23. Johnny Fa'auli.