The ‘Whenwes’ are back together in Brisbane, with Kyle Godwin and David Pocock teaming up ahead of the Wallabies’ South Africa Test.
Both players grew up in Zimbabwe, Godwin relocating to Perth when he was eight and Pocock to Brisbane in high school, and the new roommates will have plenty of nostalgia to draw on ahead of the Test, a part of the expat community dubbed the ‘Whenwes’, as in ‘When we were in Africa…’
Godwin arrived in Brisbane late on Sunday night to find Pocock as his hotel buddy and said he was looking forward to some chances to reminisce this week.
“When we're talking [it’s the] ‘Whenwes’, you know, back in Rhodesia days,” he joked.
“I rocked up at about 9:30 last night and I see Mr David Pocock sleeping next to me, so he's my roommate, so we've got plenty of time this week to catch up.”
It’s not the first time the pair have played together, with Pocock at the tail end of his time in Perth when Godwin came on the scene.
“It'll be good to spend some time with him, it's been a while,” Pocock said.
“Obviously I spent a lot of time with him at the Force and it's been good to watch him develop over the last few years and get another opportunity to be in camp this week.
“He's a good bloke so it's good to hang out.”
Pocock said 24-year-old Godwin had little chance to show his potential in a lean season at the Force, while injuries have impacted his development over the longer term, poor fortune that has kept him on the fringes of Tests.
“He has a huge amount of talent,” he said.
“I think injuries probably have hampered his development a bit but I think at the Force he hasn't been part of a team that's allowed him to play his natural game at times and that's probably been tough.
“Everyone knows what he can do as a player so hopefully he can step up this week and contribute and we’ll see what the coaches say.”
Saturday’s match will have an element of nostalgia for the pair, with Pocock’s childhood fandom of the Springboks always adding an extra spice to these Tests.
“Growing up in Zimbabwe, I was a huge Springboks supporter - they were my team,” he said.
“It's something that I love doing, is lining up against the Springboks and love every opportunity I get to play against them."
