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Today at 8:16 AM
by Beth Newman
Brumbies and Wallabies flanker David Pocock has played his final Super Rugby game, the ACT club confirmed on Tuesday.
Pocock will speak at a press conference at 1:30pm AEST Tuesday, along with coach Dan McKellar and CEO Phil Thomson, where he will speak about his future.
The Brumbies released a statement on Tuesday morning confirming Pocock's looming departure.
A niggling calf injury has kept Pocock out of action since March and with the World Cup coming up, a call was made between the Wallabies and Brumbies that Pocock would not be available in the "immediate future."
"David’s injury is a rare calf strain that is unfortunately not progressing as hoped and needs further time to heal," the statement read.
"No exact timeframe for a return to playing can be provided at this stage."
Pocock will head to Japan after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, to fulfil the final part of a three-year flexible contract he signed in 2016.
Pocock has played two Top League campaigns with the Panasonic Wild Knights, book ending a year-long sabbatical with Japanese seasons in 2017 and 2018, before returning to the Brumbies and Wallabies in 2018 and 2019.
He has not featured for the Brumbies since a round four clash against the Rebels and with just three matches left in the regular season, the odds of a Super Rugby return always appeared slim.
The openside has played 112 Super Rugby games since making his debut for the Western Force in 2006, but has missed 57 matches since moving to Canberra compared to the 43 he's played.
Two consecutive knee reconstructions crippled his 2013 and 2014 seasons before Pocock made an emphatic comeback to play a key role in the 2015 Super Rugby season and Rugby World Cup.
Pocock expressed his gratitude to the Brumbies in a statement on Tuesday.
“The Brumbies have given me a home for the last seven years. They've supported me through injury and given me the opportunity to work on my game and my leadership as part of an incredible group of men,” Pocock said in a statement.
“After 13 years of professional rugby, I'm looking forward to the challenges the rest of this year holds and also thinking about what comes next.
“The Brumbies and all supporters have been very good to me since my move to Canberra in 2013. I am grateful for their support.
"Over the last seven years, Canberra has well and truly become my home. Em and I love living here and being part of the community."
Whether Pocock continues his Wallabies career beyond 2019 is still unclear, with the flanker still eligible for Test rugby even if he is based offshore.
Pocock's body has been battered in a 13-year professional career, with neck injuries the most recent concern for the flanker, who forewent an end-of-year trip to try and strengthen that body part.
Last week, McKellar admitted Pocock may already have played his final Brumbies match with the World Cup the ultimate goal for the breakaway.
The Brumbies have already moved to shore up their back row department for 2020 and beyond, re-signing Rob Valetini and Tom Cusack and the ACT club are also believed to be interested in bringing Waratahs flanker Will Miller to the capital.
While Pocock's move will leave a big hole in the Brumbies back row, the next tier have stepped up this season in his absence.
Cusack and Pete Samu have been in superb form for the Brumbies along with new recruit Jahrome Brown.
The Brumbies head to Tokyo this week to take on the Sunwolves.
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/0...ess-conference
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Congratulations on a great domestic career Bam Bam, one that withoutmay not have happened as it did. Hopefully you'll be up and about for RWC
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80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
69 matches for the Force, 43 for the Brumbies, and even when he's retired he'll always be referred to as ex-Brumbie David Pocock.
Why yes, that is a nice chip on my shoulder, thanks.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
More years in Canberra than Perth iirc
C'mon the![]()
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That's a real arrogant view of history - If John Mitchell and the Force didnt discover him. someone else would have.
Here is a thought. If we didn't push to have him start at such a young age - Didn't he require special dispensation to play Super Rugby at 17? Would he be having the injury problems now? and looking at early retirement?
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
I don't think arrogance applies. InnForcer is not claiming Pocock wouldn't have had a career in domestic rugby.
Mitchell didn't discover him, nor even Peter O'Meara, given he'd already played Australian schoolboys.
Pocock is 31 now. He might yet do another season in Japan (and who knows, maybe play Rapid Rugby with Panasonic?)
It's a fair question you ask, although IMO that's not an especially young age to hang up the boots. George Smith types are very rare.
I believe Pocock only played one S14 game in 2006 for an 80 minute season, then averaged 40 minutes in 2007 before owning the starting 7 jersey in 2008.
Could he have had fewer injuries and played more Supe if he'd started a year or two later? Maybe, but I'm doubtful.
Pocock copped a lot of injuries through the game he played. A few rock rolls included in there you don't want to see on anyone.
But I sheet home much of what happened to Pocock's 2019 season to Krusty the Clown.
Last edited by Kiap; 29-05-19 at 04:49. Reason: typo
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-u...03-p51adq.html
"Even though the Super Rugby coaches mightn't have wanted me to, we went to a nice big hill, had a DJ playing at the top, pumping out the tunes, and they were just running up and running down," - Chieka
https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/w...68789dc45910f0
“I tore my calf in that Wallaby camp on the 7th of January... I wasn’t the only one, I had Poey (Pocock) and Dane (Haylett-Petty) with me and then I think Adsy (Coleman) did his... It was frustrating because if there’s three or four blokes from the Wallabies squad who you can trust to do all the work and be ready to go it’s probably us blokes and then we’re sitting on the sideline." - Phipps
Shame to see Pocock's career moving towards its end.
Prior to the 2015 RWC World Rugby put out guidelines about head contact and high tackles.
After the RWC SR refs then totally ignored the issue.
Hodgo suffered the same as Pocock. Hooper rarely did as he isn't considered a regular threat at the breakdown.
Don't get me going on the stupidity of Cheika and his training regimes as he only knows one method of showing the players who is boss. Too often the Wallabies have gone into a Test stale and spent from being worked too hard.
He was already "discovered" and had been on the radar for Queensland well before 2006, but you can only fit so many players into one squad and they were obviously not prepared to take a risk on such a youngster when surrounded by experienced talent. Yet another reason why having an additional franchise (read ARU Nursery) creates depth across a nation regardless of origin, another name in the same basket would be Rabbit and there have been many many more.
Here's a thought - I'm going to take wild guess and say that he had probably copped a few pretty hard hits well before he ever pulled on a Force jumper, would it be safer to not let them start playing the game at all until they are 18+ to ensure some longevity? Plus I very doubt he was pushed, Humpty Dumpty was pushed, but I reckon Bam Bam jumped.
Last edited by The InnFORCEr; 29-05-19 at 10:51.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Arrogant is not the best word. Just the only one that fit.
Im not attacking MJS. Never have, never would.
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa