MELBOURNE – Wallabies flanker David Pocock is expected to confirm that 2019 will be his last season in Australian rugby when he fronts a media conference on Tuesday, a report on the Rugby Australia website rugby.com.au said on Monday.
The 31-year-old openside is struggling with a long-term calf injury and has played only for three matches for the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby this season.
Rugby.com.au said Pocock was set to confirm 2019 would be his last season with the Canberra-based Brumbies, though he was expected to play in Japan's Top League after the World Cup in the east Asian nation.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar conceded last week that Pocock may have already played his last Brumbies game as he prepares for one last tilt at winning a World Cup in Michael Cheika's Wallabies.
Australia's David Pocock during the match between Australia and Ireland at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, June 2018. Photo: EPA/David Moir
“The Brumbies medical staff and the Wallabies medical staff will have a chat over the next few days and we'll come to some sort of clarity there around where he heads over the next few weeks,” McKellar said.
“It's all the things we've got to look at to see whether he plays Super Rugby or whether he now puts his attention towards the World Cup.
“Those are things we've got to discuss between the Brumbies and the Wallabies.”
The 77-test Pocock is renowned as one of the world's best fetchers but has struggled with a string of serious injuries since returning from a sabbatical last season.