‘He’s very hard on me behind closed doors’ – flanker Hooper on Eddie Jones
Tom Hooper during a Wallabies training session in Sydney.
Although the Wallabies have lost all four of their Tests so far this year, young back-row Tom Hooper is enjoying his time in the squad ahead of their Rugby World Cup campaign, especially the coaching methods of head coach Eddie Jones.
Despite their poor start to the international season, Hooper has been one of Australia’s best players as he has caught the eye with some outstanding performances.
Short-lived Test debut
His Test debut lasted just 30 minutes as he was forced off with a shoulder injury against South Africa in Pretoria but despite missing Australia’s next match against Argentina, he returned to their starting XV for the Bledisloe Cup encounters with New Zealand and scored a fine try in the second of those games in Dunedin.
Although he is yet to enjoy a Test victory, the 22-year-old rookie is enjoying his stint at the highest level and credits Jones and his approach to coaching for helping to get the best out of him.
“He’s a great motivator. He pumped me up to the media, but don’t worry, he’s very hard on me behind closed doors as well but that’s how I like to be coached,” Hooper told Rugby Australia’s official website.
“I really like someone who calls a spade a spade and that’s what he does for me. Every training session he has got something for me to work on… I want to be the best in the world one day and the only way I’m gonna do that is by having a coach like that who’s going to be tough on me and make sure that I’m achieving my best.
“When I do perform well, he’s the first one to shake my hand so that is exactly what I want from a coach: someone who’s tough but also rewards you once you get done the hard work.”
The feeling is mutual as Jones also sang Hooper’s praises along with other back-rows Rob Valetini (24), Rob Leota (26), Fraser McReight (24) and Langi Gleeson (22), who were all included in the Wallabies’ 33-man squad for the upcoming World Cup in France.
Full of praise for Hooper
“I think we’re gonna have a mighty back-row,” he said. “I think young ‘Hoops’ has progressed really nicely over the period of time.
“If you look at the first Test against South Africa, he was struggling to make a tackle and by the end of the Rugby Championships, he made 20 tackles, carried over the top of All Blacks forwards and that’s the progression this team is going to make.”
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