SUPER RUGBY VETERAN CALLS TIME
Western Force flanker Chris Alcock has today announced his retirement from rugby.
The 32-year-old South African made the difficult decision to hang up his boots after a highly rewarding albeit injury-filled, 11-year career.
“I’ve put my body through a fair bit of stress and damage and it just came to the point where I was more concerned about getting injured than playing rugby,” Alcock said.
With the Force only weeks away from their first game against the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby AU, Alcock has been fiercely helping to prepare the team and will be keeping a close eye on their progression through the competition.
“I’m still training with the squad for a couple more days but for the last few weeks I have been doing whatever I can to get the guys in the best shape going into their first game,” he said.
“Just seeing how they are building and coming together is something that I have loved; it’s quite hard to be almost on the outside already.”
Alcock amassed 75 appearances over his career, starting at the Waratahs in 2010 before making his move to the Force in 2013 where he played for four years. After a year-long stint with the ACT Brumbies in 2017, Alcock made the decision to return to WA.
“I’ve absolutely loved it here; this is my seventh year at the Force. I really love Perth and I love the people here. And the club is amazing – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed that side of it,” he said.
Having travelled the world for the sport, including playing in the Japanese Top League side Suntory Sungoliath, Alcock never imagined his life and career to play out the way it did and thanks rugby for his experience.
“I got pulled out of second-grade rugby to go to the Waratahs – I was only training one day a week while I was at university, so I did not see that happening from where I was,” he said.
“With rugby I have been able to travel the world. I’ve lived in Japan, I’ve played in South America, New Zealand and South Africa. I can’t give it enough credit for what it has given me.”
Starting his journey with the Force shortly after Alcock, USA national star centre Marcel Brache says “Cocky” will be missed by the team.
“I think it is difficult to put into words how much Chris has given to the club and how much he means to the club as well,” Brache said.
“You wouldn’t have thought that Cocky had called time on his career the way he was training but also the way that he was checking in on the players, I think it’s just Chris’ nature. He is a very caring and genuine guy.”
The Western Force thank Chris Alcock, Force player #100, for his time at the club and look forward to seeing him succeed in the next chapter of his life.
