1
Michael Hooper moves past Israel Folau for new Wallaby record
John Eales has lauded Michael Hooper as one of rugby’s most consistent talents after the Wallabies captain won the prize named in his honour for a record fourth time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hooper was awarded his second consecutive John Eales Medal on Sunday, the captain an obvious choice for the player-voted award after a tireless campaign that also saw him nominated for world player of the year.
The victory pushes him clear of three-time winner Israel Folau and confirms his status in the game in the same season he went past George Gregan as Australia’s most-capped skipper.
“Michael is an incredible pillar of consistency in the Wallabies team,” Eales said.
“His performances as a captain and as a player, week in week out, season in season out, set the perfect example for his team.
“In the history of rugby, there haven’t been many players as consistent as Michael Hooper.
“His influence on this Wallabies team, and rugby in Australia, has been profound so he’s an easy guy for Wallabies supporters and former players to feel proud of.”
The Wallabies endured a tough start to their year in a Bledisloe Cup hiding but found form in the Rugby Championship against world No.1 South Africa, stringing five wins together for the first time since 2015.
Hooper played almost every minute of the season, only brought down by a foot injury that ruled him out of the final Test of the Spring Tour.
ADVERTISEMENT
The injury will sideline Hooper for the start of the Super Rugby Pacific season later this month, the Waratahs backrower returning after a season in Japan.
“It’s extremely humbling to be awarded the John Eales Medal in a year where there were so many stand-out performances across the squad,” the 118-Test veteran said.
“Players certainly don’t play the game for individual awards but there’s no doubt it’s special to be recognised by your teammates in this way.
“As a group we made some good strides last year but there’s still plenty to improve on and I’m looking forward to doing that with the Waratahs and the Wallabies this season.”
ADVERTISEMENT
JOHN EALES MEDALLISTS
* 2002 George Smith
* 2003 Phil Waugh
* 2004 David Lyons
* 2005 Jeremy Paul
* 2006 Chris Latham
* 2007 Nathan Sharpe
* 2008 George Smith
* 2009 Matt Giteau
* 2010 David Pocock
* 2011 Kurtley Beale
* 2012 Nathan Sharpe
* 2013 Michael Hooper
* 2014 Israel Folau
* 2015 Israel Folau
* 2016 Michael Hooper
* 2017 Israel Folau
* 2018 David Pocock
* 2019 Marika Koroibete
* 2020: Michael Hooper
* 2021 Michael Hooper
Comments on RugbyPass
Having finally been able to watch the first Chasing the Sun (thanks RugbyPass!) - because I refuse to pay DSTV's extortionate monthly fee in SA - after four years, it was amazing to see Mapimpi's story as well as seeing my personal hero, Rassie, breaking down when telling it. There _is_ hope for the country, but only once we've got rid of the crooked and incompetent ANC (and others) who have set out to destroy it. Viva Rassie, viva Kolisi viva rugby!
1 Go to commentsWhether true or not, all the best to you Sam Cane. A warrior of a player and a loyal servant to the ABs! Go get you some yen and have some fun.
2 Go to commentsThe game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
37 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
104 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
8 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
2 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
2 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
1 Go to commentsSaturday was last straw. Terrible record in Premiership since Jan 23. Capitulation against Bath at home. There are 3 conclusions. Players aren't good enough. Coaching team aren't good enough or combination of both.
2 Go to commentsAs you say in your article Brett, the point was Hamish and his vanity - plain and simple. The crazy bit is that sua’ali’i has to be probably twice the player of mark N, no easy feat, just for RA to get their money's worth!?! And as you say, tahs aren't short of wingers, props on the other hand id like to see $1.6m spent on. I still shake my head at the absolute carry on in the media and comments section around the boon of getting sua’ali’i and the revenue it'd generate. It was all such hogwash imo and short sighted, real sugar hit stuff. And wasnt Waugh (and others) on the board at the time this money was spent? You say silver bullet, I'd say sugar hit but without the flavour.
8 Go to commentsNZR should play hard all a bit with some of these players and make them sign up to the next world cup. If they won’t, offer it to someone who will. Because what happens is the NH (especially France) swoop on a bunch of nz players coming off contract, weakening their depth, and nz scrambles less than 2 years out trying to get replacements up to speed.
1 Go to commentsNo thanks. Savea almost always leaves easy points out there and goes for the corner, no matter how many times it’s not working. He claimed he took “the learnings” from this when he kept making the same mistake against the Boks a few years ago. Then went out the very next week and did the same thing and SA snatched victory because of it. Years later he still does it, right up to and including the world cup final. Great player, not so great rugby nous.
10 Go to commentsIt certainly wasn't a rhetorical masterpiece coming from big E …. (just as a side remark: Eben is the better player, Siya by far the better talker - maybe that's why they don't seem to like each other very much) …. but could we please move on?
70 Go to commentsMan who wasn't there and hasn't held a conversation with those who were present weighs in on dead rubber debate and is presented as representative of the Irish Rugby Union’s spokesperson on subject he has no apparent knowledge of whatsoever.
70 Go to commentsanybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
6 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
70 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
10 Go to comments