Wallabies legend and senator David Pocock believes Eddie Jones has the talent to go deep at this year's World Cup.
Pocock's past and present came together on Thursday in front of Parliament House as the Wallabies celebrated 100 days until their opening World Cup match against Georgia.
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“100 days until the World Cup, it’s an incredible sporting occasion, truly a global game and I’m really excited to see what the Wallabies can do this year at the World Cup in France," Pocock said to reporters
“It’s great to have them here, although a bit weird to have former work colleagues at my current workplace but really welcome them. We’ll be watching and enjoying the build-up to the World Cup alongside everyone else.”
Pocock's time these days are spent passing bills rather than balls, admitting his Rugby focus is largely centered on the Brumbies and their chase for a Super Rugby title.
Having been to three World Cups, the former flanker understands what it takes and backs Eddie Jones' squad to rise to the occasion if they can stay fit.
“It’s another level of Rugby playing at the World Cup," he explained.
“The intensity and style is different. It’s all about building pressure and I think we have a good mix of experience who have been through a couple of World Cups and then some exciting young players coming through like Bobby Valetini.
“My experience is a lot of us about getting to the knockout stages in good form without too many injuries.”
Pocock announced his retirement from the International game at the last World Cup in Japan.
With aspirations of going one better than 2015, the Wallabies were dumped out of the quarter-finals by England.
“Bitterly disappointed because it was a really tough way to end my time with Australian Rugby," he said on the 2019 event.
“I’ve thought about it a lot. These opportunities, they’re there and you’ve got to seize them and we didn’t.
“Losing in the quarter-finals, that’s how that goes and I’m sure the guys who were part of that in Japan will take what they learnt into the next one and be better prepared to seize that moment.”
Pocock was joined by World Cup winners Stephen Larkham and Joe Roff, with Larkham reflecting on the magic of hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup in 1999, the last Australian side to do so.
“Growing up playing Rugby in Australia, it was always the big games against New Zealand I watched that I was passionate about and the World Cup was relatively new was I was young," the Brumbies coach said.
“It’s gone through that cycle of playing Super Rugby and we had the World Cup cycle coming up and there was a lot of build-up to that game and the tournament itself. You get to the end of the competition and you realise how special it was.
“At the time, the pressure was something very difficult to handle as a team and as an individual but I remember sitting in the change rooms after the game feeling like I’ve reached the pinnacle of Rugby playing against the best teams in the world that generally prepped to the best they can be.
“There’s a lot of pressure going into those competitions and coming out of it with a World Cup is a special feeling, one that I thought was good enough to retire from Rugby on.”
