Wynne Gray: Pocock snaps at McCaw's heels

David Pocock of the Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images

About a year ago, David Pocock replaced the superb but tiring George Smith as the Wallabies' premier openside flanker.

That ascension had only been a matter of when, once Pocock was nabbed five years ago by former All Black coach and looseforward John Mitchell for his Super 14 debut.

Pocock is still only 22, but yesterday in Bloemfontein, he backed up his work from the week before with another stunning display in the Wallabies' edgy 41-39 victory.

While most inspection would have been on Kurtley Beale's mishaps-to-messiah contribution in the second half, the Wallabies would have been buried without Pocock.

His influence was as substantial as that of Richie McCaw at his best. Their meeting this week in the third Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney should be a cracker if Pocock is fully fit.

The flanker has arms like Popeye and hands which latch on to turnover ball like a limpet in the rock pools. His low centre of gravity and excellent body position make him incredibly hard to shift.

His instincts are great, he reaches rucks with all the accuracy of a heat-seeking missile, he pilfers ball with exquisite timing. Pocock pinched at least four first-half turnovers against the Boks to assist the Wallabies to a 31-13 lead, and made more steals to keep the visitors in the test as their game stalled.

That 54-minute slump will be the major anxiety for coach Robbie Deans though victory will have quietened some of those wanting the coach to hand in his badge.

The last time the Wallabies won at altitude in South Africa, Robert Menzies was Australian Prime Minister, Elle Macpherson was born and the police were trying to crack the Bogle-Chandler murder mystery.

Since then it has been a 47-year drought and yesterday it looked as though the Wallabies would come up short again until Beale's 55m winning penalty in the final minute.

They completed their comeback with 14 men, too, after replacement hooker Saia Faingaa was sinbinned for a lifting tackle. Faingaa had only been on the field four minutes when he dumped Flip van der Merwe and that looked to have ruined any Wallaby comeback.

Morne Steyn was kicking goals relentlessly, the Boks had regained the lead while the Wallabies were drowning in anxiety.

They had held a 25-point lead with just a quarter of the test gone.

Quade Cooper was in blistering form and Matt Giteau looked recharged as they used the width of the field and clever counter-attack to punish the Boks. It was thrilling stuff.

But the Wallabies got a little too cocky with their 31-6 lead. They bypassed two kickable penalties in favour of a lineout and a scrum and then conceded a try on the interval.

There were a number of twists in the tail, though, as the Wallabies held their nerve, referee Wayne Barnes blew a penalty and Beale kicked the tourists to their rare triumph.

Victory will also have sharpened the All Blacks' focus. They are on a 14-test unbeaten streak and have bagged nine in a row against the Wallabies. This Saturday is no time for sympathy in that results chart.

It will be an occasion for All Blacks such as Aaron Cruden, Victor Vito and perhaps Israel Dagg to show their credentials.

The All Blacks will announce their side tomorrow, but coach Graham Henry has indicated this will be the start of a few selection adjustments before the World Cup. That message will be accompanied by strong warnings about maintaining the standards the top men have set.