Hooper was again strong running the ball but it was his defence that shone, with a belter on big Brumbies No8 Ita Vaea the most memorable of several massive hits.
"Those two are both phenomenal players," Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps said. "It will be an interesting conundrum for coach Michael Cheika to figure out later on. If [Pocock] keeps playing like that, [the Brumbies] will be having a fair few wins at the back end of the year."
Like many of their state team-mates, Hooper and Pocock spent yesterday icing their bruises next to each other in Canberra at a Wallabies gathering convened by Michael Cheika.
The test coach said he wouldn't keep a scorecard on the No7 battle in his NSW coaches box (he's also Waratahs coach), but would review the tape later with a more open mind.
His more pressing concern is his Waratahs side, but he rejected suggestions they have "reignited" their title hopes with the 13-10 win over the Brumbies.
The victory left the Waratahs in control of the Australian conference, one point behind the Brumbies but with a game in hand as they look to guarantee a playoff spot.
After a sluggish start to their campaign, the Waratahs have chalked up seven wins from 10 matches to be better placed than at the same stage last season.
But Cheika said it would be foolish for the champions to expect to repeat their memorable march to last year's title on the back of a club-record nine-straight wins.
"If you let yourself think like that, you'll get on a plane and go to Perth and you'll get slammed," the no-nonsense coach said ahead of Saturday night's clash with the Western Force.
The only downer for the Waratahs, who climbed to sixth on the ladder with their third consecutive win, was Tatafu Polota-Nau being concussed for the second time this season.
The hooker has already missed two games and undergone extensive brain scans this campaign because of a head knock and after being KO'd numerous times in his career. Sunday Telegraph and AAP
