Young Western Force star David Pocock has underlined his growing status at the club and in the mind of coach John Mitchell by being named the captain for the side's development tour to the UK.
Despite the presence of Wallabies Scott Staniforth and Tai McIsaac, and senior players including Pek Cowan, Gareth Hardy and Junior Pelesasa in the squad, it is the 20 year-old Pocock who will lead the team to Europe.
And fresh from being named the 'Force Man' of the year award at the club's recent awards night, voted for by the coaches for on and off field achievement Pocock will have 19 other players with Super 14 experience with him on the five-week tour.
Also included in the squad are Force regulars Cowan, Hardy, Pelesasa, Tamaiti Horua, Haig Sare and Troy Takiari, with lock Pat O'Connor - unsighted last year because of injury.
Hot prospects James O'Connor and Dane Haylett-Petty are also on the plane, to take on four top-flight English Guinness Premiership teams and two regional academy sides.
The honour for Pocock caps a huge year for the Zimbabwean-born backrower, who was named captain of a star-studded Australian under 20s squad for the inaugural IRB World Championship in Wales.
In May Pocock signed a new two-year contract with the Force and the ARU, seen as a major coup for the Force with Pocock pursued hard by Queensland.
The 28-man squad is due to depart Perth on July 31, and will open the six-match program against Jonny Wilkinson's Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on August 8.
After a mid-week clash with the Saracens Academy, the team will face the Eddie Jones-led Saracens at Old Albanians before a hit out against the Northampton Academy team.
The tour will then climax with matches against recently promoted English League One champions Northampton Saints and 2007/08 Guinness Premiership finalists Leicester Tigers.
The team will travel as the Western Force and will wear the Force jersey on tour, with Mitchell previously saying the tour was intended to begin the preparations early for the 2009 Super 14 season
"We are expecting the English teams to field strong sides. These will be important pre-season trial matches for each of these teams and they will be just as serious as we are about performing well," Mitchell said when the tour was announced.
"It will give some of our younger guys some exposure to quality rugby in the lead up to the 2009 Super 14 season."
The tour was brought about after the axing of the Australian Rugby Championship competition by the ARU last season.
"With the ARC being scrapped after one season, teams will have to explore alternative means to continue playing competitive rugby throughout the winter/spring period," said Mitchell.
"This tour will provide the guys with invaluable game time and the touring experience will serve to bring the team closer as a unit prior to our pre-season (training)."
Western Force 2008 UK Development Tour - Key Dates
Thursday 31 July EWF squad departs Perth for Newcastle via Dubai
Friday 1 August EWF squad arrives in Newcastle
Friday 8 August EWF v Newcastle Falcons, Kingston Park
Tuesday 12 August EWF v Saracens Academy, Old Albanians
Saturday 16 August EWF v Saracens, Old Albanians
Saturday 23 August EWF v Northampton Academy, Franklin's Gardens
Wednesday 27 August EWF v Northampton Saints, Franklin's Gardens
Saturday 30 August EWF v Leicester Tigers, Welford Road
Monday 1 September EWF squad departs Birmingham for Perth via Dubai
Wednesday 3 September EWF squad arrives in Perth
Touring squad: Dion Berryman, Caleb Brown, Pek Cowan, Scott Daruda, Gareth Hardy, Dane Haylett-Petty, Matthew Hodgson, Luke Holmes, Tamaiti Horua, Kieran Longbottom, Barry Mansfield, Tai McIsaac, Tom Murday, Brent Murphy, James O'Connor, Pat O'Connor, Chris O'Young, Junior Pelesasa, David Pocock (c), Filipe Manu, Haig Sare, Scott Staniforth, Troy Takiari, Joshua Tatupu, Veleni Tia Tia, Justin Turner, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes.
