Richie McCaw walked away a winner the last time he met David Pocock at a World Cup. Photo / Getty
Richie McCaw walked away a winner the last time he met David Pocock at a World Cup. Photo / Getty
Rival backrowers Richie McCaw and David Pocock are widely considered the two players predicted to have the greatest influence on Sunday morning's World Cup final. We run the tape over both...
BREAKDOWN No one has come close to David Pocock as the turnover king at this World Cup. The Wallaby hasmade 14 steals, eclipsing Richie McCaw's six. His tree-trunk thighs and huge upper body make him difficult to shift when he jackals over the ball - usually resulting in a penalty or a textbook turnover. McCaw is an expert at protecting his own team's ball, so the contest is likely to boil down to who reaches the collision area first unless the All Blacks can find a way to smash Pocock off the ball.
David Pocock 9 Richie McCaw 8
LINK PLAY McCaw tends to have more touches of the ball, often running good support lines to be in position for an offload. Australia use Pocock, who is the front-runner for player of the tournament, as a destructive weapon rather than a constructive link-man. His back-row colleague Michael Hooper usually makes more metres in attack, but there is no question over Pocock's carrying strength with his squat 16st 10lb frame.
LEADERSHIP This is where McCaw comes into his element. The 34-year-old - who is seven years senior to Pocock - has developed an aura throughout his career. Referees can be reluctant to question the No 7, who has a reputation as a master rule-bender. The hype surrounding McCaw's 148th and final Test will add to his leadership inspiration. With interests in climate change and gay rights, Pocock is one of the most thoughtful and rounded sportsmen and is also an influential character.
Pocock 7 McCaw 9
SET PIECE To accommodate two opensides in the back row, Pocock has been shifted to the unfamiliar position of No 8. Unlike natural No 8s, he rarely picks the ball from the base of the scrum, but has been key to Australia's driving line-out - steering the maul from the back, resulting in two tries. At the line-out, McCaw edges Pocock despite both players being 6ft 2in, providing his team with a useful option as fifth jumper.
TACKLING In both packs, blindside flankers Jerome Kaino and Scott Fardy have topped the tackle counts for the back-row. Given Australia's tougher run to the final, Pocock has made more tackles than McCaw, although both are reliable in defence. The No 8 often stands slightly behind Hooper, allowing his team-mate to make the hit before he gets over the ball.
Pocock 8 McCaw 8
TOTAL: Pocock 38 McCaw 40
David Pocock speaks to the media during an Australia media session. Photo / Getty Images
David Pocock Age: 27 Height: 1.84 metres Weight: 104 kgs Born: Gweru, Zimbabwe. School: Anglican Church Grammar School, Brisbane. House: Owns a 'small, old house' on a 630m2 plot in North Canberra, with a vegetable garden, over 30 fruit trees and a chicken coop. Earnings: Approximately NZ$685,000 per year from ARU. Sponsors: Has consistently turned down sponsorship deals - he used to paint over the logos on his boots. Partner: Emma Palandri - they met during a non-violence workshop which Emma was running. Did you know? Pocock refuses to marry his girlfriend until gay marriage is legal in Australia. He was once arrested for chaining himself to a tractor to support a local farmer. Debut: v New Zealand in Hong Kong, Nov 1, 2008. Honours: Tri Nations/Rugby Championship: 2011, 2015.
Richie McCaw during the Semi-Final 1, between New Zealand and South Africa. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Richie McCaw Age: 34 Height: 1.88 metres Weight: 108 kgs Born: Oamaru, New Zealand. School: Otago Boys' High School, Dunedin. House: NZ$900,000 home in Christchurch, beach house and farmland. Earnings: Highest paid All Black of all time, earns approximately $NZ860,000 a year from the NZRU, makes more money off field than on it (approx NZ$1.5m a year). Sponsors: adidas, Mastercard, Westpac, Versatile Homes, Fonterra, Beats by Dre. Partner: Gemma Flynn - New Zealand hockey player. Did you know? McCaw turned down a NZ knighthood. He is a keen pilot and has a helicopter licence. He is of Scottish descent and plays the bagpipes. Debut: v Ireland, Nov 17, 2001. Honours: World Cup: 2011 Tri Nations/Rugby Championship: 2002-2003, 2005-2008, 2010, 2012-2014. British & Irish Lions Series win (3-0) 2005. Most capped player of all time. Most Test wins of all time. Most capped captain of all time (110).
