Pocock set for return against Waratahs

Champion flankers Michael Hooper and David Pocock are set to duel for the first time in two years as the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies clash in a high-stakes Super Rugby showdown at Allianz Stadium.

Pocock is almost certain to return from a month out with ankle syndesmosis sustained in round one when the Australian conference heavyweights meet on Sunday for the first time since the Waratahs’ commanding 26-8 semi-final triumph last season.

The one-time Wallabies captain was close to making his comeback in the Brumbies’ 29-0 dispatch of the Queensland Reds on Saturday night and coach Stephen Larkham admits it’ll be hard to overlook the powerhouse breakaway for this weekend’s pivotal derby.

“‘Poey’ is itching to get back out there. He had a really good pre-season after his second knee (reconstruction) operation and was itching to get into this season,” Larkham said.

“He had a pretty good week training last week and we’ll see how he progresses over the early part of the week before we make a call on that.”

Larkham is reluctant to tinker with his in-form back row of Ita Vaea, Jarrad Butler and Scott Fardy and is likely to ease Pocock back via the bench.

But whenever he is thrust into the fray, Pocock’s head-to-head battle with Hooper will be a feature as Australia’s premier No.7s lock horns for the first time since Pocock suffered his first torn ACL against the Waratahs in 2013.

Their breakdown battle will be just one of several intriguing personal duels as NSW’s Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and his recently-appointed assistant Larkham match wits in a genuine blockbuster.

The Brumbies are brimming with belief and have an opportunity to deliver a savage blow to NSW’s title defence, with a victory potentially rocketing Larkham’s table-topping outfit 15 points clear of the Waratahs in the Australian conference.

The Brumbies have been superb in charging to the competition lead and boast the best attacking and defensive records in the tournament.

But Larkham has warned his troops that form goes out the window in this annual fixture.

“Playing the Waratahs in Sydney is always difficult and you really can’t look at your form going into it and think you are where you need to be,” Larkham said.

“We’re going to have to have a really good week training-wise, get our focus right for the game and then it comes down to our performance on the night.

“It doesn’t really matter how you’re playing up to that point.”

While the Waratahs dropped to eighth on the ladder after their 26-19 loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday, the Melbourne Rebels climbed to ninth – equal on points with NSW – with a 21-17 victory over the Western Force in Perth on Friday night.

The Force’s defeat leaves Michael Foley’s side with a shabby one-from-five start to the season, the same as the Reds, whose woes could well be compounded by a suspension for classy flanker Liam Gill.

Larkham dubbed Gill’s try-line flipping of Brumbies halfback Nic White at Suncorp Stadium as “reckless” and “dangerous”, while SANZAR’s citing commissioner on Sunday deemed the tackle worthy of a send off and referred Gill’s case to duty judicial officer Robert Stelzner.

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