‘Gonna find out’: Michael Hooper’s candid take on upcoming SVNS debut
Michael Hooper isn’t too sure what to expect from himself at the upcoming SVNS Series leg in Hong Kong but the former Wallabies captain is going to give it everything once he debuts for the Australian side.
As confirmed by Rugby Australia on Thursday morning, four-time John Eales Medallist Hooper will enter the fray of international rugby sevens at the prestigious event at Hong Kong Stadium from April 5 to 7.
Hooper, 32, first trained with the Australian sevens side in November but a niggly Achilles injury put a temporarily stop to the 15s veteran’s bid to impress ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
The Wallabies legend has been named in Australia’s 13-man squad for the event in a fortnight’s time, with coach John Manenti also welcoming back playmaker Maurice Longbottom.
After travelling with the Aussie squad to the most recent events in Vancouver and Los Angeles, and rooming with team captain Nick Malouf, the man known as ‘Hoops’ is ready to test himself on the SVNS Series.
“I’m not the fastest, not the fittest, so that doesn’t’ start well,” Hooper said with a laugh. “But I’ll give it an absolute shift,” Hooper told reporters on Thursday.
“I’m gonna find out, I’m gonna learn as much as anyone when I actually hit the field and see what I can do on the park.”
“I’ll know if I make that journey when the squad’s picked,” he added, when asked about the prospect of going to the Olympic Games.
“I’ve got this tournament and then another four weeks of training and then Singapore, and same again amount of training, and then Madrid.
“We as a squad will go to, potentially, another hit out against a couple of other nations before the squad actually gets picked.
“To think that I’m a finished product after Hong Kong, I think I’d be probably applying too much pressure to myself unfairly.
“We saw (Antoine) Dupont come out and start his campaign really well. That’s great for him. I hope to have a really good impact in this team and find what piece of the puzzle I am and how I can really contribute to these guys.
“That may be this round, that may be next round, (or) it may never come and I’m open to all those possibilities. That’s kind of the exciting thing of this challenge.”
After three rounds of the SVNS Series, Australia emerged as one of the team’s to beat after recording back-to-back Cup finals appearances in Cape Town and on home soil in Perth.
But their form took a bit of a hit in North America. Australia struggled during pool play in Vancouver and were then knocked out of Cup contention in the quarters at Los Angeles’ Dignity Health Sports Park.
With only two events to go until the highly-anticipated SVSN Series Grand Final in Madrid, there may be no better time or place for the Aussies to bounce back than early April in Hong Kong China.
“Everyone seems to have a story about the Hong Kong Sevens. Usually it’s off the field stuff but I’m told that it’s just a fantastic atmosphere, a fantastic place to play,” Hooper told reporters at Rugby Australia on Thursday.
“We’ve got a good history there so it seems like a pretty awesome place to make a debut.
“(It’s) very rewarding actually. I’ve got a few people to thank because this has been a hard road for me… I’ve had some setbacks before my contract even started.
“It’s quite a shift to what I expected in terms of the physicality needed to play this game and I’m not there yet. This is going to be a big step forward entering the field and playing.
“I’ve been a genuine student, trying to be a student in what people would imagine I’ve done for a while but it’s not the case, it’s a different world.
“The team have been really open to giving me a lot of feedback.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Now if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
4 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
35 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
4 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
4 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to comments