Pocock to be omitted from 31-man Wallabies squad - reports

David Pocock is to be omitted from the 31-man Wallabies squad that will travel to South Africa for the opening game of the Rugby Championship.

RA website rugby.com.au are reporting that the decorated Wallaby is almost certainly set to miss the plane, as his recovery from injury continues.

It's been an injury-ravaged season for the veteran Wallaby. Last month Cheika suggested that he was on track for a return during the Rugby Championship, despite retiring from Super Rugby before the end of the Brumbies season.

“First of all, I think David is going to be in good shape when it comes to even the earlier series, not just the World Cup but the Rugby Championship that is coming beforehand,” Cheika told reporters earlier this month.

Pocock tore his calf on the first day of a Wallabies pre-season camp in January and has been unable to make a full recovery, restricting the 31-year-old to just three games for the Brumbies in 2019.

He’s had multiple injections, enlisted the help of AIS medical staff and sacrificed a shot at winning a Super Rugby crown with the Brumbies, Australia’s only side to make this year’s finals.

“The best thing now is to take the pressure off and actually get it right rather than continuing to do what I was doing,” Pocock said when he announced his Super Rugby retirement.

“I’d be very disappointed (if I never play again). It could be the case, I don’t know. But I’ll certainly be doing everything I can for it not to be the case.”

Pocock’s now-anticipated return for the Wallabies, whenever it may come during the Rugby Championship, also gives Cheika a welcome selection dilemma.

Without Pocock, Cheika wouldn’t have to agonise between Pocock and skipper Michael Hooper as his starting No.7.

While he admits he’d prefer a more traditional back row, rather than using two specialist openside flankers, the awesome class of both Hooper and Pocock created a conundrum.

“(It’s tough) when you’ve got two guys that are so damn good, which they are,” he said.

“You’ve only had to watch Hooper play this year. There’s not a player pound for pound who plays like him in the game because he’s not the biggest guy of all time but he is as tough as they come and will put his body on the line for anything.

“Pocock will put himself in front of a truck if it’s coming front of him to steal a ball.”

Additional reporting AAP