3 days ago
Australian World Cup captain retires from rugby after Lions tour
AUSTRALIAN HOOKER DAVE Porecki has retired from professional rugby with immediate effect.
The 32-year-old, who travelled an unconventional path to the international stage, captained his country at the 2023 Rugby World Cup following an injury to Will Skelton.
The New South Wales Waratah missed the entirety of the 2024 campaign, but battled back to make his first appearance for Joe Schmidt against Fiji last month.
A concussion ruled him out of the first test against the Lions, but he returned for the second game in Melbourne for his 21st and final cap. A cut to his heel saw him miss the series finale.
Advertisement
Porecki made one cameo appearance for the Waratahs, back in 2015, before embarking on a five-year stint in England, playing with Saracens and London Irish.
He became a regular on his return to the Sydney-based team and, at the age of 29, Porecki made his Wallaby debut in a memorable victory over England in July 2022.
'To wear the Wallaby gold and Waratahs blue was a dream of mine as a boy growing up in Manly, and to be able to say I did both is something I'm incredibly proud of,' said Porecki in a statement.
'Rugby has given me so much to be thankful for and has been such a massive part of my life for so long, but it feels like the right time for me to turn the page and start a new chapter.
'There's a lot of people who have supported me in my journey, and to them I'll be forever grateful. I'm especially looking forward to spending more time with my wife, Shani, and kids, Luca, Charlie and Billie.
'I look forward to continuing to support the game away from the field in this next stage of my life.'
Head coach Schmidt paid tribute, saying: 'Porky is the ultimate professional and quiet achiever. He doesn't say a lot, preferring to get on with the job and to lead by example, and he's done that really well for the time that I've known him.
'On behalf of everyone within the team, we wish him and his family all the best in this next stage of their lives.'
