Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is poised to develop into an Olympian after becoming a member of Australia’s rugby sevens program.
Capped 125 occasions for the Wallabies, 32-year-old Hooper was neglected for World Cup choice this yr by just lately departed coach Eddie Jones.
Despite Jones’s resignation, Hooper’s focus isn’t on regaining his Wallabies jersey however as a substitute on turning into a key member of Australia’s rugby sevens group.
“The transition is something I have thought a lot about and I’m extremely motivated by the challenge of playing sevens and trying to earn my way into this team,” mentioned Hooper, who hopes to play his first HSBC sevens sequence match in Perth in January.
“I’ve started making a few changes to my training in preparation and can’t wait to get started in January.”
Hooper was grateful for the prospect given to him by Australian males’s sevens coach John Manenti and sevens nationwide efficiency supervisor Scott Bowen.
“I’d like to thank John Manenti and Scott Bowen for the opportunity to join the program in what is a massively exciting year with the Olympics on the horizon,” he mentioned.
“It’s an exciting environment to be around.
“The Olympics is huge. It’s something that I never thought I’d be a part of, to have that as an end point for this season is huge, but I’m coming in as an absolute rookie in this (rugby sevens) world.”
The Australian males’s sevens group certified for subsequent yr’s Paris Olympics courtesy of ending fifth on this yr’s World Rugby sevens sequence.
The prime 4 nations had been assured Olympic Games spot however with France, who completed fourth, computerized qualifiers with Paris being the host metropolis, qualification spots prolonged to fifth place on the rankings.
Manenti mentioned Hooper’s signing would increase the group’s hopes of successful an Olympic Games medal for the primary time.
“Michael is an outstanding rugby player and a great leader, so we’re thrilled to have him join our program,” Manenti mentioned.
“We know he’s got a strong skill set for sevens and a big engine and we’re looking forward to helping him transition quickly to the format.
“He is a player with big-game experience and to have someone like Michael in our set-up can be a point of difference for us next year.”
Source: www.news.com.au
