Hooper calls on SANZAAR & World Rugby to revisit neck rolls

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has called on SANZAAR and World Rugby to take neck rolls more seriously.

This comes after the news that David Pocock has been ruled out of the Wallabies' clash with the Springboks at the 11th hour.

Pocock was in visible pain after the Wallabies loss to the All Blacks in Auckland after a series of neck rolls in the clash.

Hooper was clearly disgruntled, after the team's final captain's run today, with the way the incidents were handled by the governing body.

"It's a significant injury and a significant issue," Hooper said.

"As a coaching group we sent into clips to (World Rugby and SANZAAR) and the coaches told me that it didn't meet the red card threshold.

"Neck injuries are a pretty big part of the game and being in a similar position to David I know that it's about player safety.

"It's now cost us David having to sit out and being concerned about a pretty vital part of your body.

"As a fellow player you have to sympathise with that."

This is not the first time these incidents have been ignored with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika saying the Australians had sent vision of Irish neck rolls to World Rugby in June and the Brumbies also sent tape of similar incidents Pocock to SANZAAR in the Super Rugby season.

"We have in previous games, in the Irish series definitely," Cheika said last month.

"He's there nearly all the time, so he becomes a target and they do whatever they can to get rid of him."

Hooper did not believe the All Blacks' attack on Pocock was particularly malicious but said the game must revisit the issue.

"I know that in parts of the game in the moment as a player on the other side you are not looking to intentionally inflict pain on someone or intentionally inflict a serious injury," he said.

"Sometimes these things do happen but how we avoid that is a conversation we need to have.

"It's very hard on the field and I understand that it happens very quickly.

"But how we get the right outcome for all of this stuff is how we need to look at it."

Pocock also weighed in on the matter after the latest loss to New Zealand.

"I guess it’s one of those things as a player, you get into those positions and you are a bit vulnerable," he said.

"As a player, you feel that after games and it’s not something you want to think too much about."

Story via: Rugby.com.au