Waratahs star Michael Hooper stays focused amid talk of being appointed Wallabies captain

MICHAEL Hooper admits it’s “a cool thing” to be talked about as a potential Wallabies captain and feels his experience would compensate for his youth.

Michael Hooper is a bolter candidate to captain the Wallabies.

MICHAEL Hooper admits it’s “a cool thing” to be talked about as a potential Wallabies captain and feels his experience would compensate for his youth if he took the role.

But while the 22-year-old was humbled to be mentioned as a leading option to replace Ben Mowen for the June Tests against France, Hooper stressed his focus ­remained squarely on his day job with the Waratahs.

“I have noticed (the speculation) and it is a massive privilege to be talked about in that light,” Hooper said.

“It doesn’t seem that long away, a couple of weeks, but we still have such a busy schedule here it hasn’t really come into my thinking.

“We have a massive job here with the Tahs and as a leadership group we are trying to put our best foot forward for these three really important games.”

News_Image_File: Michael Hooper is staying focused on the Waratahs.

A 30-man Wallabies squad for the three-Test French ­series will be named on Thursday, but coach Ewen McKenzie won’t nominate a captain until after the team goes into camp on June 1.

Hooper has been identified as a bolter candidate for the Test captaincy alongside veterans Stephen Moore, James Horwill and Will Genia.

Question marks have been raised about whether the in-form flanker would be too young to fill the role, but Hooper said after debuting for the Brumbies as a teenager in 2010, five seasons of Super Rugby and 28 Tests had weathered him.

“I have had quite a few years now in the fold and being around different styles of teams and coaches and things, so I feel like I have seen quite a bit now,” he said.

News_Rich_Media: Phil Waugh discusses the form of the Waratahs, Test selections and which players are putting their hands up for captaincy.

“(Captaincy) is something I enjoyed doing earlier in the year with the Tahs and I have really enjoyed being in the leadership group here. It is a cool thing but we’ll see how we go.”

Former Waratahs captain Phil Waugh said the Hooper ascension may be affected by David Pocock’s return next season. Pocock could challenge for the No. 7 and captaincy.

Waugh echoed the belief of Mowen that the captain chosen now should stay in the role until the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

“It is going to be a tough decision,” said Hooper.