David Pocock set to return ahead of schedule

The Wallabies' Rugby World Cup prospects are set to be boosted massively with the news that openside flanker David Pocock is set for a surprise early return during the Rugby Championship.

Battling a “rare” calf injury, Pocock last month offered no guarantees he’d be fit for this year’s global showpiece in Japan after being forced to call time on his Super Rugby career but Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has revealed the reigning John Eales medallist was on track for a much earlier comeback than expected.

Cheika was planning to meet with Pocock on Saturday. “So I’ll be able to find out first-hand myself,” Cheika said at Randwick Rugby Club’s annual luncheon in Sydney on Friday. “First of all, I think David is going to be in good shape when it comes to even the earlier series, not just the World Cup but the Rugby Championship that is coming beforehand.”

“The best thing now is to take the pressure off and actually get it right rather than continuing to do what I was doing,” Pocock said when he announced his Super Rugby retirement. “I’d be very disappointed [if I never play again]. It could be the case, I don’t know. But I’ll certainly be doing everything I can for it not to be the case.”