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Peter O’Mahony has defended David Pocock after the Australia flanker was described as a “cancer on the game” by former Ireland international Neil Francis.
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Francis took aim at Pocock in a newspaper column this week, bemoaning the 30-year-old’s tactics at the breakdown while also saying he has a “grudging admiration” for the Wallabies forward.
Captain O’Mahony said the tourists do not agree with Francis’ comments as they prepare to try and level the three-match series at AAMI Park on Saturday.
“I don’t read a huge of media stuff and I don’t read a huge amount of Neil Francis stuff but I certainly don’t think that’s the opinion we, certainly as a group, or as a nation have of David,” he said.
“He’s an incredible rugby player – you saw the impact on the game he had last week and I certainly wouldn’t be standing by a comment like that.”
Australia head coach Michael Cheika was also unimpressed with Francis’ comments.
“That guy needs to choose his words a little better I think, to be honest,” he said.
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“It’s not a very nice thing to say. I’m not worried about what he thinks about Poey’s footy, I just think that’s not a very nice term to use.
“There’s people who are really sick out there. I’m not into that.
“He used to say a lot of stuff about us when I coached Leinster as well. Some unflattering words he would use for his own publicity. That’s fine.”
