'He's just a freak': Former All Black pays tribute to Wallabies' best
While the Wallabies may have set an unwanted record in their 57-22 loss to the All Blacks last weekend, conceding the most points ever in a Bledisloe Cup clash, there was one man who continued to play his heart out in the gold jersey.
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, in his 110th international appearance, was a constant thorn in the All Blacks’ side, never relenting throughout the game despite his team taking a huge beating.
It was a typically courageous outing for the openside flanker, who’s faced stiff competition to wear the No 7 jersey since first joining the team in 2012, but fighting off the challenges of all and sundry to stake his name as one of the greatest openside flankers of the modern era.
And while a 35-point loss never looks great for a captain, it was hard to find fault with Hooper’s performance on the park. Despite his own individual effort, however, Hooper owned the loss following the game, suggesting that he as an individual needed to step up as both a player and a captain.
With a one-man advantage nearing halftime, the Wallabies failed to capitalise on a yellow card to Ardie Savea – and that quickly came back to bite them.
“[It was] our skill error, to not capitalise on that, maybe I should have taken the shot and built on that,” Hooper said following the game.
“Got a good exit and capitalised on them being a man down. I didn’t and it turned out to hurt us.
“So I take a lot of responsibility for that and I take a lot of responsibility for not being able to rally our guys in order to get a better outcome in that pretty pivotal 10 minutes. It’s something that as captain I’ve got to look at.”
Hooper has been widely praised for his performance, however, with former All Blacks hooker and Super Rugby centurion James Parsons speaking out in favour of the Wallabies No 7.
“He’s just a freak. He’s such a good player to watch,” Parsons said on the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“I think [former Wallabies hooker] Jeremy Paul, during the week before this test match, said ‘If he was playing in any other era, he would be held as one of their best players ever’. If he was playing in a winning side or through that era of Larkham and Gregan, like Jeremy Paul was saying, [he would be considered one of the best].
“He’s just unbelievable. His skillset, his ability to offload in contact, work off the ball…
“His ownership – if you listen to him after the game, he takes a lot of ownership on himself and where he can be better. He never points fingers. Those are the sorts of blokes that you want to follow and you want to get into the trenches with. His level of play on the field is quality. What he’s offering off the field, in terms of leadership, I think’s massive as well.”
Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall agreed, suggesting that Hooper’s attitude and ownership should have Wallabies fans confident their skipper can lead them away from their poor recent results against the All Blacks.
“If you’re an Australian supporter and obviously pretty disappointed with how the result went, you’ve got a captain at the front of it saying ‘We need to be more accountable, I need to be better, we need to be better’, then you kind of accept that as a supporter,” Hall said.
“Dave Rennie’s talked around a lot [how] they want to win – they’re not there just to participate. As a captain, you can be able to give that vulnerability and being able to show your fans and, more so, your group as well, that this is not good enough but as a captain I’m going to take this accountability and somewhat take the heat off the players that are probably going to be getting it a bit in the media.”
The Wallabies are due to host the All Blacks in Australia next weekend but New Zealand’s current Covid outbreak could put that plan at risk.
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments