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'Why would I?': Michael Hooper slams door shut on walking away from Wallabies captaincy
Michael Hooper has slammed the door shut on walking away from the Wallabies captaincy, saying he “absolutely” remains the best man for the job.
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With only 20 wins from 51 tests in charge, Hooper’s captaincy has been called into question entering the Wallabies’ final test of the year on Saturday night against Argentina.
Having handed over the leadership of the NSW Waratahs to Rob Simmons in 2020, there’s also a perception that the laid-back 29-year-old has a “take-it-or-leave-it” attitude towards the Wallabies’ top job.
But he set the record straight when grilled on the topic on Friday.
“Haven’t thought about it. Why would I? I’m focused on Saturday,” Hooper said when asked if he’d considered handing over the armband.
“It’s a massive privilege to captain your country. I’ve been very lucky to do it on many occasions and I love that.
“It’s very rewarding as a unit and as a team when that group comes up with a plan and you execute a plan.
“It’s super rewarding post the game when you put in a performance you’re proud of. They’re the things why you put yourself in this position.
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“There’s plenty more opportunities to get some better ones as well. That’s very exciting for the future, too.”
Emphatically ruling out stepping down, Hooper said he cherished being skipper of the Wallabies and hoped to do so for years to come.
It says a lot about the form of veteran lock Rob Simmons that his Wallabies teammates are not thinking about his send-off. #Wallabies https://t.co/AQoZ1uP6P6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 3, 2020
“I get to stand in the line and not only represent my country but lead some men that have sacrificed a lot and we get to do a lot in the jersey and do that all across the world,” said the champion flanker.
“I love that and I know it’s only a finite time you’re able to do that in anyone’s career. Great privilege and it’s probably the longer I’m in the game the more I realise the great position that we are in.”
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Hooper has been prone to making some puzzling on-field decisions during his captaincy tenure, be it opting for penalty points over a lineout and driving maul chance or vice versa.
But he was adamant he got the calls right in Australia’s last-up 15-15 Tri Nations draw with the Pumas in Newcastle.
“I was very pleased with my decisions in the last game,” he said.
“We gave our opportunity there to take the win and move away with it.
“At 6-15 with 19 minutes to go, we were primed to move and put that game to bed, which we weren’t able to do through our lack of discipline and game management there.
“We’ll be better for that. I’ve learnt a lot in the past in making decisions around that and I was pleased with the calls that were made.”
The Wallabies face the impossible task of needing to beat the Pumas by 101 points to snatch the Tri Nations trophy from New Zealand’s grasp.
Hooper will settle for the next-best scenario.
The Blues are reportedly in the hunt for the signature of Los Pumas midfielder Santiago Chocobares to fill the final spot on their roster for the upcoming season. #Blues #LosPumas #SuperRugby https://t.co/9yRPBmlYmz
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 4, 2020
“We want both sides of our game to click tomorrow,” he said. “We’ve been good in patches in different games in the year.
“We’re looking to have a complete performance in attack, counter-attack, defensively.
“(Pumas goal-kicker Nicolas) Sanchez is a great player – we want to keep him to minimal points so we need to be disciplined to do that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
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