Michael Hooper to front Eddie Jones for first time since World Cup axing
Eddie Jones ended former Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper’s Test career. JAMIE PANDARAM reveals why the two are set for a frosty encounter.
Eddie Jones will have an awkward showdown with Michael Hooper today, seeing the former Wallabies skipper for the first time since dropping him for Australia’s World Cup campaign.
Hooper is joining the Barbarians – co-coached by Jones – in Wales this weekend for their match against the Welsh the following week on November 4.
Hooper and Quade Cooper were Jones’ big omissions from his World Cup squad.
Jones told Hooper in a late night phone call that he wasn’t going to France the evening before the squad gathered. Cooper refused to answer Jones’ call that night, already knowing the answer, and hasn’t spoken to the coach since.
Jones addressed media in Sydney last week insisting he hadn’t spoken to Japanese officials about taking over as their head coach next year, despite being contracted to Rugby Australia until the end of 2027.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that Jones will not see out the term of that deal, with sources saying he will leave the job soon. Many of his assistants and trusted team staff have already left in the past week.
Hooper, the Wallabies’ most capped Test skipper, commentated on the disastrous World Cup campaign, and even defended Jones after Sonny Bill Williams attacked the coach for leaving Hooper out and reportedly taking a job interview with Japan leading into the tournament.
Given Jones has said publicly that he didn’t believe the Wallabies could win the World Cup with the likes of Hooper and Cooper, their reunion is set to be frosty.
It’s understood that Kiwi Scott Robertson, co-coaching the Barbarians with Jones, has been in regular dialogue with Hooper over the past week.
Two months after axing Hooper from the Wallabies and essentially ending his Test career, Jones will now coach him in Cardiff in the most unlikely circumstances.
While Hooper has finished his Test career, he will play Sevens for Australia in 2024 in pursuit of a shot at the Olympic Games in Paris.
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