Six months after retiring, Michael Hooper, former captain of the Wallabies, returns to service. At the age of 33, he joined the Japanese club Toyota Verblitz, under the orders of Steve Hansen.
Michael Hooper wasn’t quite done with Rugby. The former Wallabies captain announced this Wednesday January 15 that he was coming out of retirement to join Toyota Verblitz in Japan. Six months after hanging up the cramponsthe third row will return to the field under the orders of Steve Hansen, the former coach of the All Blacks.
“I’m grateful to Steve for giving me this chance.”Hooper told Channel Seven. Hansen needed to fill this position, after the injury to South African Pieter-Steph du Toit. “There weren’t many clubs where I would have agreed to play, but Verblitz is one of them. I have excellent memories there”adds the flanker who had become a consultant.
Hooper has already been to Verblitz, just like Gio Aplon or even Jerome Kaino. He will play alongside former All Black Aaron Smith, and former Scottish international Richie Gray.
Living legend of Australian rugby
At 33, Hooper remains a living legend of Australian rugby. 125 caps with the Wallabies, 69 as captain, a Rugby Championship title in 2015, a World Cup final the same year… And a Super Rugby in 2014 with the Waratahs, which currently remains the last coronation from a non-New Zealand team.
Hooper, on the field, has blonde hair, a low center of gravity, and a taste for rucks. A tireless tackler, he also excels with the ball in hand. With several months without playing, he admits to having lost a little muscle but remains physically ready.
After a spell in rugby sevens, mental health problems and an early retirement last June, Michael Hooper is ready to fight again in Japan.
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