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Iain Payten and Tom Decent
Updated August 10, 2023
First Published - Sydney Morning Herald
The celebrated Wallabies career of 125-Test great Michael Hooper has likely come to a close after the Australian co-captain was left out of Eddie Jones’ squad for the Rugby World Cup.
In a major selection shock, Hooper was informed on Wednesday he would not be part of the 33-man squad travelling to France for the tournament, which starts next month, because of concerns about his lingering calf injury.
In a remarkable sequence of play, Tom Hooper put the All Blacks defence to shame by bursting through for the second Wallabies try in Dunedin.
In another huge omission, star centre Len Ikitau has also been left out of the squad due to a shoulder injury, and veteran forward Jed Holloway is also set to miss out on a spot when Eddie Jones reveals the squad on Thursday night from Darwin.
Young Queensland No.7 Fraser McReight, who started for the Wallabies against New Zealand at the weekend in Dunedin, will be named in the squad, according to informed sources. Waratahs five-eighth Ben Donaldson is also set to be named by Jones.
The omission of both Hooper and Ikitau appear to share a common reason: Jones’ unwillingness to take players who may not be fit for the opening game.
A first-choice No.13 for several years, Ikitau suffered a broken shoulder against Argentina while scoring a try, and his forecast recovery time of six to eight weeks took him up to the eve of the Rugby World Cup.
Hooper, the third-most capped Wallabies player ever, started against the Springboks last month but has missed the last three Tests for the Wallabies after picking up a calf injury in training ahead of Australia’s second Rugby Championship game against Argentina in Sydney.
A speedy return was initially forecast but Hooper’s recovery was slower than expected. Jones first revealed after the first Bledisloe Cup game at the MCG that Hooper was no certainty to make the Rugby World Cup, given the doubts about his calf injury.
“Michael Hooper has a serious injury and when you have got a serious injury, there are deadlines and we need to find out the deadline on it,” Jones said.
“When you have got a calf injury, sometimes you don’t know how quickly you can recover.”
Hooper had returned to running and informed sources said the 31-year-old’s calf injury was expected to be right for the Wallabies’ opening game at the Rugby World Cup, against Georgia in Paris on September 9.
But Jones appears to have decided not to take the chance, even factoring in Hooper’s immense experience and proven track record as two-time World Cup representative. Hooper played in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final and captained the Wallabies at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and some pundits had pencilled in Hooper on leadership grounds alone, particularly given Allan Alaalatoa’s season-ending injury in Melbourne.
But with McReight and Tom Hooper having stepped up in Hooper’s brief absence, Jones has thrown his faith in the youngsters. Informed sources say Hooper’s co-captain James Slipper is in the squad.
Short of a mid-tournament call-up due to injury, the omission is almost certain to draw a curtain on Hooper’s distinguished career for the Wallabies.
Hooper announced earlier this year he would not be continuing with the Waratahs in Super Rugby, and is weighing up three options next year: retirement, playing overseas or a stint for the Australian sevens team.
There is always a chance Hooper could get a call-up for the Wallabies from overseas, as a Giteau Law pick, but the Manly flanker has previously indicated the 2023 Rugby World Cup would be his Test swansong.
Missing selection represents a melancholic exit for Hooper, who has been consistently outstanding for the Wallabies since debuting in 2012.
The tireless flanker captained Australia in 2014 at the age of 22, which made him the youngest Wallabies captain since Ken Catchpole in 1961. Hooper holds the record for most games as Wallabies captain, with 69 appearances, and sits only behind George Gregan and Slipper for most Wallabies caps.
Hooper won eight Matt Burke medals in 10 seasons for the Waratahs, and was interim captain of NSW when the franchise won its maiden Super Rugby title in 2014.
In 2021 collected a record fourth John Eales medal - the peer-voted award for the best player in the Wallabies.
In August last year, Hooper stepped away from the Wallabies to take a break for mental health reasons, but returned on the Wallabies’ Spring Tour.
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