1 year ago
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Michael Hooper says helium is "all in" aft returning to the Wallabies captaincy for the 2023 Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup pursuing a intelligence wellness interruption past year.
The 31-year-old was appointed co-captain with incumbent James Slipper connected Sunday arsenic coach Eddie Jones leant connected their combined 251 Tests of experience.
Slipper said the brace were lone asked by Jones to pb the squad connected Saturday nighttime connected the Gold Coast, wherever the squad are preparing for their Rugby Championship opener against the Springboks successful Pretoria connected July 9 (AEST).
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Slipper led the Wallabies astatine the extremity of 2022 aft Hooper returned location from the Rugby Championship to prioritise his intelligence health.
But the flanker has been re-energised this play arsenic helium eyes what volition astir surely beryllium his last World Cup successful France successful September/October.
"I don't caput saying that Eddie checked successful with me," Hooper told reporters.
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"I person my past and peculiarly successful the past 18 months wherever it didn't rather enactment retired there. I was unsure what my presumption looked similar successful rugby astatine that point.
"Now, I can't hold to springiness everything I've got for this. I privation to get everything retired of this adjacent small chunk."
It is the archetypal clip the Wallabies person divided enactment duties but Jones floated the thought backmost successful April.
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The manager indicated that prop Slipper could play 50-60 minutes portion flanker Hooper remained an 80 infinitesimal player.
"You've seen maine play capable to cognize I propulsion myself into everything erstwhile it comes to rugby," Hooper said.
"The Waratahs is an illustration of that, I threw myself into that with everything I've got.
"I've ever said passim the full of this year, immoderate is champion for the squad is what I'll support.
"So close present this is what's champion for the squad and if that changes past I'm each in, nary substance what. I consciousness privileged arsenic ever to skipper the team, to bash that with a caller coach, caller unit and with Slips, a feline who I've had specified large times playing with connected and disconnected field, I'm rapt."
Slipper has battled his ain demons including a prohibition for utilizing cocaine successful 2018.
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"My journey's got plentifulness of ups and downs but I deliberation the biggest happening retired of contiguous and moving guardant is this radical having an oculus connected what's coming up," Slipper said.
"Individually I'm pumped but I'm much pumped for this squad and what we tin do."
WALLABIES SQUAD
Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Richie Arnold, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Matt Gibbon, Jed Holloway, Michael Hooper, Tom Hooper, Rob Leota, Fraser McReight, Zane Nonggorr, Dave Porecki, Pete Samu, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese, Rob Valetini
Backs: Quade Cooper, Lalakai Foketi, Carter Gordon, Reece Hodge, Len Ikitau, Marika Koroibete, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Izaia Perese, Suliasi Vunivalu, Nic White, Tom Wright
Utilities: Ben Donaldson, Josh Kemeny, Dylan Pietsch
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