Michael Hooper’s selfless reason why he won’t face the British & Irish Lions
Michael Hooper has explained his decision to reject the chance to face the British and Irish Lions.
Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has confirmed that he has made himself unavailable to Les Kiss and Ian Foster for the AUNZ invitational team that will tackle the British and Irish Lions.
Earlier this year Hooper came out of retirement, taking up a short-term deal with Japanese club Toyota Verblitz as an injury replacement for Pieter-Steph du Toit.
There he worked under ex-All Blacks head coach Foster, who was confirmed as an assistant coach for the invitational team that would face the Lions a week out before the first Test match against the Wallabies.
Hooper snubs opportunity to face the B&I Lions
When Foster was unveiled as part of the coaching team, Hooper’s name was one of the first that he put forward for the fixture, but the legendary Wallabies flanker has revealed why he has turned down the chance to face the Lions again after losing the series 2-1 back in 2013.
“No, I won’t be playing in that fixture,” Hooper explained on Stan Sport’s Inside Line.
“It sounds like a great game, it is going to be a great game and intriguing on so many different fronts.
“What do I know? I’ve played the Lions before. I know that they’re a week out from a three-game Test series and it will be getting pointy on the tour and you’ve probably got a fully fit starting team who’s going to play against the Wallabies a week later, chomping at the bit, battle-hardened.
“And I looked at myself and I thought, ‘Well, I’ve had a good time in Japan.’ They pour a good Asahi, they make a nice rice ball at the local convenience store. I’m about eight weeks, 10 weeks out of being battle-hardened, in not a Test environment.
“So I’d have to come home now, train by myself, maybe try and get a run for Manly, which would have been cool as well. But come up against those guys in a team that you pull together for a week.”
A younger man’s fixture
The 33-year-old added that he may have made a different decision if he were younger and said that he doesn’t want to take the opportunity away from another player.
Additionally, Hooper was dropped from Eddie Jones’ Wallabies squad ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and many viewed this match as an ideal send-off for the veteran, but he does not see it that way.
“As a young guy, perhaps two years, four years, five years, six years ago, oh my God, how good,” he continued.
“As an almost 34-year-old who made a fleeting comeback, no, it didn’t sound like a game that would be a fairytale ending for me. Not that I was ever after a fairytale ending, but a game that wouldn’t give me that, I’ve been so lucky with my career and everything that I didn’t need this to be that kind of moment.
“So it was an easy decision.
“It would be great to see a young and upcoming player to play, or someone else who misses out on a Wallabies squad or a great New Zealand player fill that role for that game. But yeah, no it wasn’t going to be, unfortunately.”
Daunting task
Still, Hooper does want to see big-name players feature in the AUNZ XV but understands the complexities around availability in an already congested rugby calendar.
“I would like to see the biggest names that are available play,” he said.
“That’s what this game should lend itself to. I’d like to see them say, ‘We are going to get the biggest names we possibly can’. Or we utilise this as an Australia A game with a sprinkling of Kiwis.
He added: “There needs to be a clear direction of exactly what this game is.
“I would love to see it be an Australia-New Zealand Barbarians team, but the trouble is to make it all work for people in the calendar. It’s a daunting task.”
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