Pocock to lead Force on UK tour
July 23 2008
Australia U20 skipper David Pocock will lead a 28-man Western Force squad on a five-week development tour of the United Kingdom at the end of the month.
Pocock was announced as captain of the squad for a six-match tour pitting the Western Australia side against four top-flight Guinness Premiership teams and two regional academy sides.
On his first tour as captain, the 20-year-old flanker will have an abundance of experience to draw from, with Wallabies Tai McIsaac and Scott Staniforth named in the touring party alongside a host of established Super 14 campaigners.
The 28-man touring squad includes all available contracted Western Force players, with the exception of the five Wallabies Tri-Nations squad members and five players with long-term injuries.
Forwards Scott Fava (ankle), Tom Hockings (shoulder) and David Pusey (foot), and backs Nick Cummins (leg) and Cameron Shepherd (ankle) were not available to tour due to injury.
The squad will open their tour program against Jonny Wilkinson's Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on August 8, before matches against fellow English Premiership sides Saracens, Leicester and Northampton.
Coach John Mitchell said Pocock's appointment as captain was part of a succession planning strategy to grow the team's leadership group.
"We see David as a quality footballer and a quality individual and have recognised him as having outstanding leadership potential," said Mitchell.
"While all players in the squad are responsible for leadership, David has been named as captain for the UK tour and thoroughly deserves his position."
Mitchell said he had assembled a developing squad for the tour.
"We have named some experience in the squad along with some of our developing young local players and academy members," he said.
"The purpose (of the tour) is to provide us with some tough competition and to bring some of our developing players through and provide them with tour experience and expose them to high quality rugby.
"The team will travel as the Western Force and will wear the Western Force jersey.
"We are going on this tour with the intentions of developing our game and to perform well in preparation for the 2009 Super 14 season."
Mitchell said his side will face quality opposition throughout the tour.
"We are expecting the English teams to field strong sides," said the former All Blacks coach.
"These will be important pre-season trial matches for each of these teams and they will be just as serious as we are about performing well."
New Western Force recruit Caleb Brown, who joined the franchise on a two-year contract last month, will also see his first action in the ocean blue jersey.
The team departs for the 34-day tour on Thursday July 31.
Western Force UK Development Tour Squad: Dion Berryman, Caleb Brown, Pekahou Cowan, Scott Daruda, Gareth Hardy, Dane Haylett-Petty, Matt Hodgson, Luke Holmes, Tamaiti Horua, Kieran Longbottom, Barry Mansfield, Tai McIsaac, Tom Murday, Brent Murphy, James O'Connor, Pat O'Connor, Chris O'Young, Junior Pelesasa, David Pocock (c), Filipe Manu, Haig Sare, Scott Staniforth, Troy Takiari, Josh Tatupu, Valeni Tia Tia, Justin Turner, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes.