Hooper will take 2021 Waratahs sabbatical to play under Steve Hansen in Japan
Australia skipper Michael Hooper has agreed a deal that will see him play under Steve Hansen in 2021’s Japanese Top League, depriving the Waratahs of their seasoned back row. It was last April when swingeing Covid-19 pay cut arrangements were confirmed by Rugby Australia following lengthy discussions with the Rugby Union Players Association.
To compensate for the loss of earnings, Rugby Australia agreed that a half-dozen of its top stars would be permitted to seek out six-month contracts overseas outside of the international Test window. This stipulation has now been taken advantage of by Hooper who will join Toyota Verblitz who have ex-All Blacks boss Hansen and ex-Wallabies assistant Simon Cron on their management ticket.
With the Top League set to run parallel to Super Rugby in 2021, the sabbatical will likely see Hooper not play for the Waratahs next term, but he will be available to feature in Australia’s Test match programme next July. Other players such as Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua and Dane Haylett-Petty are thought to be eligible for Rugby Australia sabbatical but Hooper, the 28-year-old who has 99 caps, is the first to put that clause into action.
The flanker is apparently halfway through a five-year, $1.2million per year deal that took a hit with last April’s pay cut negotiations. He now has the opportunity to recoup that financial loss in Japan. Hooper said: “This is a great opportunity for me to learn in a new rugby environment and develop a different perspective on the game.
“I’m really excited in the direction of rugby in Australia both at a Super Rugby level and at the Wallabies too under Dave (Rennie, the new coach). The Super Rugby AU competition this year has unearthed some really good young talent and they are all keeping me on my toes.”
RugbyAU and the New South Wales Rugby Union have confirmed that #Wallabies Flanker Michael Hooper will take up an overseas playing opportunity for the first six months of 2021.https://t.co/8ceoldqGOA
— Rugby Australia (@RugbyAU) August 26, 2020
Rugby Australia’s interim chief executive Rob Clarke added: “We’re incredibly supportive of Michael making this move in the first half of 2021. It’s a prudent decision, especially for someone who has been a devoted servant to the domestic game here in Australia for over ten years now.
“While he will head overseas for the first six months of next year, Michael has made it abundantly clear how committed he is to Australian rugby until at least the World Cup in 2023.”
RUPA chief executive Justin Harrison said: “What we’re seeing is an innovative approach to player contracting and this is a pragmatic solution for the game in Australia both at a club and national level.
“Michael is a humble, hardworking, honest Australian who has navigated through the blowtorch of scrutiny with diplomacy and unwavering loyalty. When sporting environments talk about culture, everything we speak about is reflected in him.
“He’s joining a strong high-performance environment which will help his development as a player but also as a person as he continues to explore a life that is not solely measured on a rugby field.”
With a new Waratahs contract in his pocket and his name in the Wallabies mix, a spot in the Super Rugby AU finals is next on Tom Horton's to-do list.https://t.co/WA7PmCTBtW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 25, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
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
6 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.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 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.
61 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.
7 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
61 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
61 Go to comments