David Pocock's Super Rugby career could be over
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar admits David Pocock's Super Rugby season could be over, with a decision to be made in the coming days.
The Brumbies will host one of the biggest packs in Super Rugby on Friday without Wallabies star Pocock, who is still nursing a frustrating calf injury.
Pocock has played just 138 minutes in three games through 14 rounds this season and hasn't featured at all in 10 weeks, but was expected to return after the bye and face the Bulls at GIO Stadium.
The 31-year-old flanker was in Wallabies camp earlier this week and McKellar conceded national team medical staff could end his club season.
The Brumbies have three more games after the Bulls and will also likely play in the finals series, but Pocock could be rested to better prepare him for the World Cup in September.
Pocock is off contract at the end of the season and he is expected to end his Super Rugby career by signing with a club overseas.
"The Wallabies medical staff and Brumbies medical staff will have a chat over the next few days and we’ll come to some sort of clarity there as to where he heads over the next two weeks," McKellar said.
"There’s things we’ve got to look at to see whether he plays Super Rugby or whether we now put his attention towards the World Cup."
The Brumbies have stood tall without Pocock and control their own destiny at the top of the Australian conference.
They'll be boosted by the return of Wallabies lock Rory Arnold from an ankle injury, while back-rower Lachlan McCaffrey will come back through club rugby.
Arnold is the only change to the starting side, while McKellar has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench to contain the Bulls huge pack.
"We're expecting physicality ... scrum, maul, big men running hard, nice and direct. There will be no surprises there in terms of what they bring," McKellar said.
"But the Bulls have a little bit more footy in their game this year. They’re a little bit more dangerous off the cuff and have players who can change a game very quickly.
"(Handre) Pollard is a real threat with ball in hand and discipline has been spoken about because he’ll have you down 15-0 before you know it, (kicking penalties) from 50 or 60 metres out."
AAP
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It might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
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