David Pocock grew up in Zimbabwe and migrated with his family, to Brisbane, Australia, in 2002. He started off his rugby career when he was a tiny boy (he was never tiny – it’s just a figure of speech) in Gweru, Zimbabwe. It’s been noted that some of the mothers of his opponents did not want their sons to front up against him even at this early age. He would insist on playing in the yard with his brothers (Mike and Steve) and his Dad (Andy) – trying to coax Andy into passing and kicking to him for hours on end. Things picked up for Dave’s rugby career while schooling at the Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) in Brisbane, Australia. Whilst he got involved with as many sports as he could, his favourites were rugby and waterpolo, rugby very much being his passion and what he put most of his time and effort into. Dave went on to play in the Churchie 1st XV alongside the Queensland Reds and fellow Wallaby, Quade Cooper. Dave played for the Australian Schoolboys rugby side in his final year of school in 2005. It was only then that he was tested as an openside flanker, having previously played in the backline all through his high school years (playing flyhalf, fullback, on the wing and at inside centre).

In 2005, during his final year at Churchie, Dave was approached by the new Super Rugby franchise – the Western Force – to join their outfit as an apprentice. There were joyful times in the Pocock household as it appeared all their hard work and commitment to helping Dave achieve his goals was being recognised. As an inaugural team member Dave. There was some controversy about him coming on as a replacement during the Force’s first ever trial game earlier in the pre season while he was still only 17 years so he breathed a sigh of relief when he was finally 18 and able to play without impediment. After playing in the Under 19 World Championships he made his Super Rugby debut against the Sharks in Durban, just days after his 18th birthday. Following more game time for the Force the following season, he made appearances for Australia A in the 2007 IRB Pacific Nations Cup.

In late 2008 Dave made his Wallabies debut in Hong Kong against the All Blacks, and then played against Italy and the Barbarians on the Wallabies spring tour that same year. His Wallabies call up came six years, to the day, after his family arrived in Australia having farewelled their farm in Zimbabwe following years of political and civil unrest in the African nation. This was another joyful celebration for the Pocock family as well as Dave. That same year he also captained the Australian Under 20s at the Junior World Championships in Wales, and was then awarded the Emirates Western Force captaincy for the development tour of England.

In 2009 Dave played 13 Super Rugby games and was again called up to the Wallabies Squad. 2009 was a breakthrough year for Dave during which he featured in 13 of the 14 Tests played by Australia - including a man of the match effort in the drawn Test against Ireland at Croke Park, as well as a maiden Test try during the 33-12 win over Wales at Cardiff. Dave had earlier started the year by scoring his first try for his adopted country during the 55-7 win over the Barbarians in a non-cap match in Sydney. As a credit to his improving performance and maturity in the game there seemed to develop a time share arrangement in the no. 7 jersey with long standing Wallaby – the great George Smith, late in the 2009 Tri-Nations and during the subsequent Spring Tour. Following Smith’s retirement from international rugby at the end of the 2009 season, Dave faced the challenge of filling the enormous boots left for him and committed his 2010 season to endeavouring to maintain the sort of consistency that had been a hallmark of Smith’s career.

In 2010 Dave became a world-class open side flanker, winning the John Eales Medal - the highest honour in Australian Rugby. Dave's hard work and aptitude was recognized at an international level after being nominated alongside five other players for 2010 IRB Player of the Year which is an award given to the best player in world rugby. In addition he was recognised with the Australia’s Choice Wallaby of the Year and awarded the Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) Medal of Excellence. This earned him a lot of grief from his team mates, but was also reflective of the way they respect him as a player and a person with both the John Eales Medal and RUPA award being voted for by his fellow players.

Career Timeline

Outside of Rugby, David is a well grounded young man who enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He has a little known passion for nature and enjoys getting out of the city back to his country and farming roots, and loves the ocean more than most things on the earth. He loves doing things that would make most mother’s cry (fortunately Jane – Dave’s mum – is much braver than most) and managed to conquer Mt Kilimanjaro (the tallest mountain in Africa) with one of his friends, Morgan Clarke, in an incredibly impulsive trip between the Force’s UK tour and the Wallabies 2008 Spring Tour. He claims he’s been getting into his surfing since moving to Perth in 2006 but spends more time sitting on the beach or cruising around on his stand up paddle board on flat days. 

Reflective of his commitment to helping those with less opportunity and as a result of his early years spent in Zimbabwe, Dave is working on a new community development program. Dave, and a friend in Perth, Luke O’Keefe, are spending their spare time working on their not-for-profit organisation Eightytwenty Vision which is already making a difference to the lives of many in Zimbabwe’s Nkayi district.

To mark the end to an amazing 2010 Dave and best friend Emma committed their lives to each other before family and friends in an informal ceremony in Perth. This made his mum, Jane, exceptionally happy - adding another woman to their male dominated family.