WALLABIES FLANKER DAVID Pocock is hopeful of facing the All Blacks as he bids to prove his fitness in time for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup match.
Pocock has been sidelined since breaking his hand against Argentina last month and the 28-year-old is back in the Australia squad ahead of the Auckland Test.
Facing the media overnight, Pocock told reporters: ”It’s feeling pretty good.
“I’ve done all the rehab that’s been required, the last little bit is the uncontrolled contact, see how that goes. Yesterday was good, enjoy training in the rain so we’ll see what today holds.”
The Wallabies head to Eden Park with form and history against them.
It has been 30 years since the Wallabies defeated world champions New Zealand at the ground, while the All Blacks clinched the Bledisloe Cup with victories in Sydney and Wellington in August.
“Going over there to Eden Park is always a huge challenge for any team,” Pocock said. ”It’s been a pretty tough Rugby Championship.
We certainly haven’t achieved what we set out to, but I think we’ve probably learnt a lot as a squad and we get a last crack at it before we head off on the spring tour.”
Australia were crushed 42-8 in the opening Test before losing 29-9 a week later.
“We’ve learnt a lot,” Pocock added. “I think a lot of the learning has been for individual guys to step up to a higher level.
“If you drop off for 10 minutes that’s the game, especially against New Zealand.
“Our start in Sydney let us down and in Wellington we dropped off [so] they capitalised.”
After this weekend’s final Bledisloe match, Michael Cheika’s side will turn thoughts to Europe where they will play November Tests against Wales, Scotland and France before facing Ireland on 26 November and England on 3 December.
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