Rucks and mauls to political brawls, meet Senator Pocock

By DENNIS PASSA
AP Sports Writer

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — International rugby star David Pocock has been elected as an independent senator in Australia. More than three weeks after the May 21 election the 34-year-old Pocock finally received confirmation that he’s one of two senators who’ll represent the Australian Capital Territory that includes the national capital of Canberra. That makes him one of 76 senators in the upper house of Australia’s Parliament. The career change isn’t really a surprise. Social justice and the environment were two of Pocock’s causes when he still played rugby. His 78-test career for the Wallabies from 2008 to 2019 included three World Cups and a stint as captain of the Australian team. He played for the Western Force and the Brumbies in Super Rugby and spent three seasons in Japan.