Wallabies captain Michael Hooper offered a five-year contract extension by Rugby Australia
RUGBY Australia has tabled an unprecedented five-year contract offer to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper in a move that would see the captain replace Israel Folau as the face of rugby.
Wallabies
Don't miss out on the headlines from Wallabies. Followed categories will be added to My News.
RUGBY Australia has tabled an unprecedented five-year contract offer to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper in a bid to secure him through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
In a move that would see Hooper replace Israel Folau as the face of rugby following recent controversies, News Corp Australi a understands RA has broken with convention and offered the 26-year-old its longest ever deal.
Shorter contract options with RA and the Waratahs are also believed to be available to Hooper, who is off contract at the end of this year. Negotiations are ongoing and the NSW flanker has made no decisions about what he intends to do.
FORMULA: Wallabies reveal pre-Bledisloe gamble
SURGERY: James O’Connor’s startling admission
VETERAN: Incredible longevity of George Smith
Hooper told the News Corp Australia this week he was currently focusing his energy into leading the Waratahs to Super Rugby success, but he strongly indicated his future was in Australia.
“Next week is in my head at the moment,” Hooper said.
“You can’t get caught up in looking too far down the track. You have to focus on the here and now. That’s where my head is at. These things take time (to finalise). There are a lot of things going on, as you can imagine. Whenever that time arrives, so be it.”
Asked if a long-term contract in Australia was attractive, Hooper said: “I love playing rugby in Australia. It is such a great place to play rugby. There is a great talent pool and we have a lot of players coming up who are hungry to win, and that’s something that is exciting.”
Hooper, a two-time John Eales medal winner, would command $1 million a season in Australia but cashed-up clubs in Europe and Japan would pay 50 per cent more to get him in their colours.
A five-year deal would see Hooper locked up for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and then through to the following tournament in France four years later.
In the wake of the public backlash to Folau’s publicly-aired views on homosexuality, RA would also have the chance to pivot away from the tarnished fullback in their marketing and position Hooper as the clean-cut, sponsor-friendly face of Australian rugby.
“Naturally as captain of the Wallabies he is (the face of the game),” RA high performance general manager Ben Whitaker said.
“He is tremendously important to the national set-up, and also to the Waratahs. We have had some good discussions with him and the plan would be to see how long we can tie him to the game, and Australia. We want him to stay here.”
Pressed as to whether RA would offer a longer contract than standard, Whitaker said: “What I would say is that with a player like that, you want to see how you can engage in him in this environment for as long as possible and as long as he wants to, and as long as he is going to contribute at the top level. We feel that is over a good couple of years to come.”
Contracts lasting five years or longer are increasingly common in the NRL and AFL, with Buddy Franklin, Daly Cherry-Evans and Jason Taumaolo on 10-year deals, and players such as Michael Morgan, Boyd Cordner, Ben Hunt and Callan Ward all inking five-year contracts in recent seasons.
Whether Hooper is interested in a five-year contract remains to be seen, however.
Some athletes prefer signing shorter deals to ensure they don’t become too comfortable and lose their competitive drive, and also to keep their options open to move.