May 05, 2011
He joins his skipper Nathan Sharpe, Tai McIsaac, Cameron Shepherd, Richard Brown and Matt Hodgson as players who have represented the Force 50 times.
Pocock was just 18 when he made his debut in the last match of the 2006 tournament against the Sharks in Durban.
The highly dedicated and committed openside flanker would have reached the milestone last year but an injury ruled him out for a large part of the Super rugby tournament.
"I guess my 50th game has been coming for a while having missed a bit of last season and this season but it's just one of those things that comes and goes," Pocock told rugbywa.com.au.
"For me this week is definitely all about the team against the Waratahs," he added.
The Zimbabwean-born Pocock has made a phenomenal rise to the top and is widely regarded as one of the top two flankers in the world alongside New Zealand captain Richie McCaw.
He made his Wallaby debut in 2008 and reached the pinnacle of his short career when he won the John Eales Medal as Australia's Player of the Year in 2010.
Despite these achievements Pocock is not motivated by individual honours.
"I think for every player a big motivation is being part of a team that's winning and getting the respect of the guys you're playing with," Pocock said.
"That's a big motivation for me, being part of teams that are winning here at the Western Force and then hopefully further on down the track with the Wallabies."
He was back in action against the Crusaders at the weekend after a knee injury had ruled him out of seven matches.
Force coach Richard Graham believes Pocock has not reached his full potential yet.
"The thing I like about him most, while just 22 and at the top of his field the guy wants to learn, he wants to get better," Graham said.
"I think a lot of boys set limits on what they can achieve and he clearly has no limits as to what he can achieve.
If you say something to him you've only got to say it once," he added.
The Force are keen to take revenge against the Waratahs after the men from Sydney handed them a humiliating 31-3 defeat in Perth in round eight of the competition.
Pocock's return along with fellow loose forward Hodgson will boost the Force who are facing a Waratahs side missing several Wallabies through injury.
Pocock though is convinced that Saturday's match against the Waratahs will be just as tough their previous fixture in Perth.
"They're a very good team with a very big forward pack and they pride themselves on their scrum and set piece," he said.
"With Berrick (Barnes) back they've looked a lot sharper and they've had a couple good wins so it's going to be a tough game."
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