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Australia and Brumbies back row David Pocock has taken to Instagram after the news was announced yesterday that he will not renew his contract at the end of the season, bringing an end to his Super Rugby career.
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The 31-year-old is out for the rest of the season with a calf injury, meaning his career for the Brumbies has already ended prematurely. He said on Instagram “[t]his isn’t the way I wanted to end my time with the Brumbies. The club, the supporters, and the whole Canberra community have been so good to [me] and I over the last seven years.”
However, the flanker’s priority will be regaining his fitness for the World Cup in September, and he said he is “working on getting my body right in the hope I am lucky enough to be selected to represent the Wallabies again.”
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While he thanked the Brumbies for the past seven years, he also thanked the Western Force in another post, with whom he started his rugby career as a 17-year-old, calling it a “dream come true”.
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With 76 caps for the Wallabies, a move abroad by Pocock would not rule him out of selection for his country due to the Giteau’s law, where he has over 60 caps. However, some may fear that this will be the end of his international career after the World Cup as well. It is clear from his post that he still wants to be selected, but that may be his swansong.
This calf complaint is just the latest in a catalogue of injuries that have plagued Pocock throughout his career. But Michael Cheika, as well as all Australian fans, will be desperate for the loose forward to return, as he is arguably the Wallabies’ best player, particularly in the absence of Israel Folau.
Pocock’s expertise at the breakdown is virtually unrivaled, as he was always a great adversary to All Blacks legend Richie McCaw. The impact he has on a game is hugely significant, and Australia’s chances at the World Cup may hinge on his fitness. However, in a career that has seen him have two knee constructions in two seasons, it is understandable that he may feel like he has little left to give.
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The rigours of Super Rugby may be too much for him to consistently play, and a lucrative deal abroad may make more sense, but being a fierce competitor, he is evidently disappointed his Brumbies career has ended as it has.
