Move FM Australian News

Cape Town – David Pocock is all-but certain to miss the Wallabies’ first Rugby Championship match against South Africa in Johannesburg next month, with the injured back-row to be kept in cotton wool to prevent further setbacks.

The Wallabies have moved camp to train in Brisbane this week after launching their Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup campaign quietly in Sydney last week.

Michael Cheika’s side take on the Springboks in Johannesburg on July 20 in the first clash of a shortened Rugby Championship, followed by clashes against Argentina (Brisbane, July 27) and two against the All Blacks in Perth (August 10) and Auckland (August 17).

Cheika is set to name a 31-man squad for the trip this week, and the Wallabies will leave for South Africa at the weekend, a week early, to have a training camp at altitude prior to the Test week.

Brumbies players who played in the Super Rugby semi-final in Argentina will be given a few days break and not join the Wallabies until later in the week, before flying out with the squad.

Pocock hasn’t played since March 8 after re-injuring a calf muscle, which he first hurt at a Wallabies training camp in January.

The star openside flank withdrew from the Brumbies’ season to concentrate on getting his troublesome calf fixed for the World Cup, which begins in September.

Pocock has been working with leading AIS physio Craig Purdam to return from the injury and the Wallabies are not going to try and rush him back.

According to a report on Rugby Australia’s official website, he will not travel to South Africa with the team and a potential return will be assessed ahead of each Rugby Championship game.

There could be a scenario where Pocock doesn’t play in the Rugby Championship at all but returns for the World Cup only, with the flank historically very good at returning in top form after long injury layoffs.

Pocock said last week he was not putting a hard return-date deadline, but instead ticking off stages on his way back to playing.