Neck-roll the new evil in the game
REACTION: Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has called for referees to clamp down on “really dangerous” deliberate neck rolls on his star Wallabies flank David Pocock.
Pocock was at his best in a drought-breaking 24-12 win over the Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, but was targeted by the opposition pack.
Hurricanes No.8 Gareth Evans cleaned out Pocock in the 62nd minute with a neck roll and the Wallabies back row forward needed medical attention.
After reviewing footage of the incident referee Nick Briant didn’t think it warranted a yellow card and only awarded a penalty.
“The big one for me is the neck roll on Poey [Pocock], that’s just dangerous, we’ve got one of the world’s best flanks with his head over the ball and twisted in an awkward [position] and [nothing],” McKellar said.
“It’s really dangerous and we’ve got to start to come down on those sorts of actions.”
The win was the Brumbies’ first against a New Zealand team since 2016.
