David Pocock

A dominant openside flanker, David Pocock is a giant of Australian rugby who was capped 78 times by his country between 2008 and 2019.

Born on 23 April 1988, David Pocock grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe before he moved to Australia with his family in 2002. His rugby talent immediately propelled him through the school rugby system and he was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2005 after he won the Premiership with Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane alongside future Wallabies teammate Quade Cooper.

In 2006, David Pocock made his debut for the Force in Super Rugby. Only two years later, after a string of impressive performances for Australia ‘A’, he made his debut for the Australian team. In 2009, he then enjoyed a breakthrough year and played in 13 out of a possible 14 tests for the Wallabies. The year after, he won the John Eales Medal, which is the highest honour in Australian rugby. In 2010 and 2011, he was also a finalist for the IRB International Player of the Year.

In 2012, David Pocock left the Force and signed for the Brumbies ahead of the 2013 season. Sadly, his next few years were blighted by injuries, including two knee constructions and a damaged anterior cruciate ligament. After several impressive performances for Australia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, he signed for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan. However, he still played for the Brumbies during this time and he remained eligible to play for Australia. In 2019, he made his final appearance for the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup. He then played one more year in Japan before retiring from all forms of rugby in 2020.

Since his retirement, David Pocock has focused on his activism. He’s notably concerned about climate change and has participated in several protests. In addition, he runs a not-for-profit organisation that aims to help less fortunate people in Zimbabwe and he remains involved in rugby at the grassroots level.