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Why Michael Hooper should win World Rugby's Men's 15s Player of the Year
After some speculation and discussion, coach Dave Rennie made a significant decision last year by reappointing Michael Hooper as the captain of the Wallabies.
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People had been questioning Hooper’s place in the side with his size and versatility having come under fire. The rise of the next generation of players including former Australian U20s captain Fraser McReight was putting pressure on Hooper.
But the star flanker continued to let his performances on the park do the talking, and since returning from a sabbatical in Japan, is now coming off arguably his best season in Wallabies gold.
Hooper was rewarded by World Rugby on Monday night [AEST] for his performances this year, named as one of four nominees for the Men’s 15s Player of the Year award.
Should the 30-year-old be awarded the accolade, he’d become the first Australian men’s player to claim the award in its history. Ireland legend Keith Wood was the first player to take home the award in 2001, with players from six different countries having won it since.
Australia’s Samu Kerevi is also in contention for what would be a historic achievement for a Wallabies player, despite only having played a handful of Tests. France scrumhalf Antoine Dupont and England lock Maro Itoje have also been nominated.
While he’s already cemented his status as a legend of Australian rugby after winning three John Eales Medals, it’s time Michael Hooper was immortalised on an international level after a season deserving of such prestige.
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Earlier this year, Hooper became the most-capped Australian captain of all-time, passing the previous record held by George Gregan. He’s also helped the men in gold rise as high as third in the world rankings, and to two significant wins over reigning World Cup winners South Africa.
This pretty much sums up Michael Hooper as a player.
Truly world-class. #NZLvAUS pic.twitter.com/0Zpan1Owiy
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) August 14, 2021
The Wallabies started this season with a two-point win over France in Brisbane. The men in gold went on to win that highly competitive three match series after losing the second Test by two, but winning the third by three.
While Hooper started the season with some steady numbers and a try, the loss in Melbourne was arguably his finest showing this year.
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Hooper has always been a player who quite clearly prides himself on his work rate. His resilience and tenacity are always on show but especially when the Wallabies are playing well, his stat line reaps the rewards.
A cornerstone of what a flanker has to do is compete at the breakdown and Hooper did that to an elite level in this Test.
He had four turnovers, with his first leading to the Wallabies’ opening points of the night. Even though he’s giving up some size, his Rugby IQ and quickness saw him beat two French players to the ruck as he raked the ball back for his side.
Off the kick-off that followed, Wallabies speedster Marika Koroibete made a lengthy break up around half-way. The closest player to the star winger was Hooper, who was also the first to the breakdown inside the French half.
Later on, Hooper was heavily involved in the leadup to Jake Gordon’s try just before the half-time break.
This passage of play began with an attacking lineout five metres out from the French tryline, with Hooper taking the ball to ground in this instance. But after the backs spread the ball halfway across the field, Hooper was back in the thick of it soon after.
He played scrumhalf two phases after the maul collapsed, before supporting Matt Philip to that breakdown. Another two phases later, he got his hands back on the ball for a hit up, drew French players to the Wallabies’ right, which created the space needed out left for Gordon to run it without any issues.
On the defensive side of the contest, Hooper had two try savers in the second-half. Replacement Romain Taofifenua was stopped millimetres from dotting the ball down, with the skippers desperate defence stopping the towering forward in his tracks.
Just shy of the hour mark, France made a break from inside their 22, but as you can see in the video below, Hooper ran nearly 60-metres to make a tackle that is in itself, a reflection of his work rate and impact. He also nearly got up and won the ball at the breakdown too – his abundance of energy is such an asset to the Wallabies.
All heart from Michael Hooper ?
Stan Sport, the Home of International Rugby. Ad-free, Live & On Demand.#AUSvFRA pic.twitter.com/7VttwyQWsE
— Stan Sport (@StanSportAU) July 13, 2021
Hooper then capped off a truly great showing with a try of his own which was a reflection of the hard working player that he is.
Tom Banks made a break and managed to pass the ball to Andrew Kellaway via a deflection. Hooper was the first to Kellaway and reaped the rewards, having the ball popped up to him before he ran into the left corner without too many concerns.
It was one Test, and an exceptional performance at that, but it was no fluke and I guess that’s what the Player of the Year award looks to reward.
He may have won four turnovers in this Test, but that’s just four of the 19 across his Tests this season. He won 10 more turnovers than any other Wallabies player, 12 more than New Zealand’s Ardie Savea, and 9 more than Springbok’s captain Siya Kolisi.
Even though he’s been ruled out of the final Test of the year through injury, Hooper will also likely finish the year with the most tackles made of any Wallabies player. Currently, he’s made 30 more tackles than Rob Valetini who’s second on that list.
As well as his leadership, another part of Hooper’s game which has proven very useful for the Wallabies has been his passing. The flanker’s 94 passes and 73 carries have contributed to him becoming a necessary link between the forwards and backs.
WHAT A LINE, Michael Hooper ?
Stan Sport, the Home of Rugby. Ad-free, Live & On Demand.#AUSvFRA #Wallabies pic.twitter.com/ETB5OuW9WJ
— Stan Sport (@StanSportAU) July 17, 2021
But again, Hooper’s work rate is simply exceptional and this year we’ve seen the best of that.
His performance against France was just one of a number of Tests this year where he stood up, led by example, and consistently made an impact on games in ways that other international players can only dream of doing.
Statistically this year he’s been great, and that in itself warrants his nomination at the very least, for being the best of the best.
But sometimes, his efforts go unnoticed or unrewarded because a lot of his impact is off the ball and isn’t recorded on stat sheets. But it’s unquestionable that Hooper has silenced the naysayers, as he’s continued to embody what a leader needs to be, on his way to what should be a historic Player of the Year award.
Comments on RugbyPass
Beaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
2 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
1 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
2 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
9 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
9 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
39 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
39 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
14 Go to comments