Wallabies hooker David Porecki has announced his immediate retirement from rugby following a heel injury that ruled him out of last weekend’s third test against the British and Irish Lions.
Rugby Australia confirmed the 32-year-old’s decision in a statement on Tuesday, marking the end of a professional career that spanned five seasons in the UK with Saracens and London Irish before returning to the New South Wales Waratahs in 2021.
Porecki made his test debut for Australia in 2022 against England and was part of the Wallabies squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He became the 88th Wallabies captain after Will Skelton’s injury, leading the side in three of its four pool matches. Despite his leadership, Australia exited at the group stage for the first time in World Cup history.
After a setback in 2024, Porecki returned to the national squad last month and earned his 21st and final cap on July 26 at the MCG, where the Lions sealed the series with a late try.
“Rugby has given me so much,” Porecki said. “But it feels like the right time to turn the page.”
Source: Agency