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Exeter confirm signing of Wallaby Tom Hooper

Tom Hooper of the Wallabies looks on during The Rugby Championship match between Australia Wallabies and South Africa Springboks at Optus Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Exeter Chiefs have confirmed the signing of Australia back-row Tom Hooper, as reported by RugbyPass.

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The 23-year-old will complete the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific season with the Brumbies before making the move to the Gallagher Premiership.

The 10-cap Wallaby is the first Chiefs signing ahead of next season, as they look to rebuild after a disappointing season so far. He will link up with fellow Wallaby Scott Sio at Sandy Park, as well as former Brumbies team-mate Tamati Tua.

Hooper’s fifth and final campaign with the Brumbies will get underway against the Fijian Drua on February 15.

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While the move to England will curtail the versatile forward’s blossoming Wallabies career, he endeavours to return to Australia a “better player”.

“Across my five seasons as a Brumby, the club and Canberra have become my home,” Hooper said. “Unfortunately, with the changing dynamic of rugby, sometimes you must fly the coop. That’s what I’m going to be doing next year.

“I’m going to leave the Brumbies and try my best to become a better player, with a view to coming back to Australia and becoming an older, more experienced player later down the track, whenever that may be.”

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Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter added: “We’re delighted to have signed Tom. A young international who is a big, abrasive back-five forward, we see him having the opportunity to play across our back row but cover second row as well.

“He’s got a lot of the attributes that are really important in Premiership rugby – high work-rate along with good physical size and good physical abilities. He’s also an interesting character and someone we’re excited to bring to the club to grow the team we want to put together going forward.

“Alongside our other young back five forwards, such as Dafydd Jenkins, Rusi Tuima, Greg Fisilau and Ethan Roots – the back five has the ability to be a really strong group that can build over a number of years.

“We’d like to see that all develop into becoming what I’d like to see as a dominant back five to the scrum in the coming seasons.”

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1 Comment
O
OJohn 34 days ago

He'll be sensational. That's why Joe Schmidt wouldn't select him ahead of the very ordinary Liam Wright.

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JW 1 hour ago
'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

Sorta “rent a comment” kinda guy really.

Haha yep another great way to say it.


Look I actually agree with the guy, he might have heard something said and seeing as he loves to make a spotlight, and be in it, he decided/mistakenly came up with this headline grabber?


Despite what I already said was the actual idea for the topic he mistook, I think, at this particular moment, there are plenty of situations people should be sticking. I’m OK with the Dmac situation if its just until Stevenson and Etene start sharing the Fullback job. I’m OK with Barrett being left at 15 and Perofeta being given the job to displace Plummer (easy task for him imo) as the first five (with the ABs in mind). But pretty much all the others, like your suggestions, they are far off optimal understanding of their core positions so should be trying to specialize for a couple of years. Think Ioane and Proctor, one or the other, not trying to get both on. Barrett or ALB/Higgins/Lam, Sititi and Sotutu at 8, Finau/Haig/all the 6’s injured or gone etc.


From Razors perspective, of a coach on the limit of what can be achieved, he wants to a balance of core and niche. Having players able to cover situations when your down a man, through card or because he’s lying on the ground, you want your players to be adaptable. Does this mean he’d like them to learn that adaptable by playing other positions fully, like for a whole game in another position, or just as in terms of their skills sets. Because if you apply what I suggested Razor was referring to as “four” positions, wingers can be very useful in other roles like a carrying 12, or a pilferring 7, let alone benefit from a tight relationship and understand of what a 13 is trying to do for them.


This concept applies to pretty much every single position. Take your(my) Lock example, theyre now lifters, they can (size and shape allowing) ruck and maul like the front row, run like a back and offload like a basketballer. Many recent young locks of of this rangy razzle dazle variety.


Personally I really like and think that adding versatility is inevitable with the amount of training and really early highperformance skill/athleticism work they get through. Max Hicks looked interesting as a 2m beanpole playing openside in France, PSDT showing the frame is certainly viable (as apposed to the typical 6 playing lock), opensides really need a running/carry side to their play these days and could easily play in midfield. Halfbacks are starting to play standing up straight rather than low to the ground, how cool would it have been if the Hurricanes had decided to retain Preston by switching Roigard to 10 for this season? Like Leroy Carter they’re already good wingers with the right pace. I do really see the back three players staying were they are for the most part though, unless theyre special players like Dmac.

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