David Pocock played his first rugby match of the 2017-18 Top League season, featuring for Panasonic on Saturday night.
Pocock played the second half for the Wild Knights, kicking off his second Top League season, coming on at seven, with Digby Ioane scoring two tries and Berrick Barnes adding nine with the boot for the Wild Knights in their big 43-8 victory over the Canon Eagles.
The 29-year-old will play out the Top League year, before returning to the Brumbies in 2018.
Two Test Wallaby Daniel Heenan also featured in the match for Pocock's club, playing 80 minutes at lock.
Matt Giteau and George Smith continued to steer Suntory Sungoliath’s domination of the league, the former scoring two tries in their 31-15 victory over the Black Rams to maintain top spot in Group A.
Elsewhere in the Top League, Adam Ashley-Cooper came off the bench for the Kobelco Steelers in their 20-3 victory over Munakata Blues, while Anthony Fainga’a featured for Kintetsu Liners in their 22-9 loss to Toyota Verblitz.
TOP 14
There was a distinct Australian flavor to Bordeaux Begles’ stunning Top 14 win over ASM Clermont Auvergne, Luke Jones and Leroy Houston’s club taking the spoils 32-25 over former Wallabies teammates Sitaleki Timani and Peter Betham, in the opening match of the 2017-18 season.
In another French League upset, Hugh Pyle’s presence off the bench for Stade Francais was not enough to secure a late win over Liam Gill’s Lyon, the Parisian powerhouse going down 25-16 at home.
Joe Tomane’s Montpellier rolled through recently-promoted Agen 48-19, the former Wallaby winger scoring a try in the opening stages.
Former Wallabies captain Ben Mowen was named on the bench for Selection Paloise but did not feature in his club’s 41-14 loss.
