Welsh coach Warren Gatland warns his side about David Pocock threat
Wales coach Warren Gatland has warned his side of the threat posed by Australian flanker David Pocock ahead of their Test match with the Wallabies on Saturday 6 November.
The flanker was named as the man-of-the-match when Wales were defeated 12-33 by Australia in last year’s Autumn Tests.
Gatland said, "He is extremely physical [and] effective. He caused a huge amount of problems last year and we need to make sure we look after that area. We have got to be effective at cleaning out from our ball and make sure he does not cause the problems
that he has been causing."
The Australian forward also played a huge role in his team’s 26-24 win over New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday 30 October.
Gatland signalled out Pocock as the world best as turning over possession and said, “There is nobody better in the world at the moment than Pocock at turnovers at the breakdown."
The Welsh coach hinted that English referee Wayne Barnes will be to the advantage of the Australian forward.
"I watched the last time Wayne refereed Australia against South Africa and we have got to combat Pocock. Again at the weekend he was really effective and the last time when Wayne refereed there was something like four clean turnovers at the breakdown.”
Pocock has emerged as one of the finest flankers that the game has ever seen and his ability to steal ball has given Australia a new dimension.
Gatland was quick to point out the threat he could pose on Saturday and that his team will have to pay extra attention to the Australian flanker.
"We have to make sure [we do] a job on Pocock and that's going to be crucial for us. So ball security has to be paramount and we have to be very physical with him at that area," added the Welsh coach.
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