Any plan to parachute former Wallaby skipper David Pocock into a Sydney club rugby team for a pre-Bledisloe Cup tune-up is likely to meet strong resistance from anxious coaches.
Pocock is making his way back from a calf injury that has sidelined him for five months, and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is being urged to give his star flanker a run before throwing him against the mighty All Blacks next month.
The Canberra and Brisbane club competitions are entering their finals series, so Pocock’s only hope of a game would be as a guest of a Sydney club.
But with the Shute Shield heading into its final round, every match this weekend has some bearing on the make-up of the top six.
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Warringah, Eastwood and Sydney Uni head into the final round all with a chance of finishing minor premiers.
The Rats (62 pts) lead the way from the Woodies (62) and Uni (59).
Warringah take on Souths (9th), Eastwood travel to Woollahra to meet a desperate Easts (fifth) and Uni are away to West Harbour (10th).
Gordon need to beat the last-placed Western Sydney Two Blues and hope Eastwood beat Easts to grab sixth spot and a first finals berth in a decade.
The final game of the round has Norths (4th) needing to beat Randwick (8th) to guarantee fourth spot.
With so much on the line, coaches are not exactly enthused at the prospect of lining up against Pocock.
“Imagine having your season cruelled because David Pocock suddenly suits up for the club you’re playing,” one coach told Sporting News.
“Or he might help out another team that you need to lose to help get you a spot in the finals or finish top two.
“We are all behind the Wallabies but I don’t think you will find many coaches in favour of this plan.”
The Sydney Rugby Union is yet to hear from Cheika or Rugby Australia, but will listen to any proposal to use Pocock.