From future Springbok to Wallaby star

DAVID POCOCK INTERVIEW: THEY TELL us David Pocock is a natural born leader. A future Springbok altered by fate into a potential Wallaby captain. Living proof that early experiences mould people into manhood.

Growing up “in a tiny, backward town in the middle of Zimbabwe” his childhood coaches said he would one day play for South Africa (this being the unnatural process for a country constantly raided of talent by South Africa, much like New Zealand and Australia cherry pick from the Pacific Islands). Then irrevocable change descended upon his native land. Neighbouring white farms were violently seized with the Robert Mugabe regime of terror encouraging such practice.

Jane Pocock: “Things were pretty scary on the farm. I remember going into his room one night and he had a loaded shotgun next to his bed. A big fishing knife tucked into his mattress. I remember saying to him ‘Dave, my boy, you don’t have to . . . ’ and he said, ‘Mum, if they come I have to help Dad protect us. As a mother it just about broke my heart.” Andy Pocock: “It’s not right for a 12-year-old kid. It’s just not right.” It took the family two years to get out of Zimbabwe. Nine months in South Africa followed before a brief stint in New Zealand eventually saw them rediscover some form of normality in Brisbane. Rugby gradually took over the teenagers life.

Australian coach Robbie Deans had no problem putting Phil Waugh out to pasture and seems to marginally prefer Pocock to the original groundhog of the professional era George Smith.

“In terms of character, he’s very strong,” said Deans. “He has a background of, if not hardship, then some realities that he’s been brought up with that the rest of us haven’t been exposed to.

“He’s a solid well-rounded man now. A young man but a man in terms of the way he embraces and accepts the responsibilities that he’s got. He’s not inexperienced. He’s played Super rugby for a couple of years (first selected as a 17-year-old). He’s got 14 caps. He’s established himself in Test rugby.” Sitting comfortably (in a welcome change the Aussies embrace the media as part of the professional process from an early age and rarely fall back on programmed, clichéd responses) on the sixth floor corridor of the Burlington hotel the 21-year-old makes light of the shotgun tale.

“Aw mate, it’s a bit of an exaggeration. Most farm boys had a gun. I grew up in Zimbabwe until 2002, when I was 14, and then we moved to Australia. It was during the whole land redistribution thing and we were farming. Our farm was taken so we decided to move to Australia. I guess it was probably a bit traumatic but not compared to what some people went through.

“For me the big thing, especially in the western media is one white farmer gets killed and it is all over the British papers and all over the world papers, whereas hundreds of black people just go missing in a week and it is not even mentioned. For me and my family we were the lucky ones who managed to get out. For people who are still there and can’t go anywhere it is pretty tough.” Pocock cites his grandfathers farm in Zimbabwe as the ideal holiday destination.

Along with his brothers, as a kid he admits to dreams of wearing the Springbok jersey. Andy Pocock may not have known it for certain at the time but leaving Africa created a new dream for his son; a choice between gridiron, the Maple Leafs, the All Blacks or the Wallabies.

“Rugby was definitely a factor. We have family in the States and Canada but dad wanted to go some where there was rugby. We were pretty into it. He travelled to New Zealand and then Australia; I think he preferred the climate.” Another of the coming Wallaby generation facing Ireland on Sunday, Quade Cooper, was his early centre partner at Anglican church grammar school but promotion to representative age grade teams saw Pocock quickly switched to the openside flank, where he was told to go fetch.

Only problem these days is George Smith refuses to slip quietly into the shadows. No harm for Deans to have the ancient warrior grappling in training with the new age pretender. “He is the first guy to congratulate you after you take his spot in the team. Comes up and asks if there is anything you want to go over before the weekend, any tips. He has played 107 great games now. There is no better number seven to learn from.” And Croke Park? “We had a look around it today. Awesome stadium, we’re looking forward to it.” As you can imagine not much fazes the guy.