Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has announced his retirement from Australian rugby after missing selection for the sevens team at the Paris Olympics. The 32-year-old revealed through social media that he wouldn’t be part of the Paris push following a selection camp in Darwin over the weekend. The squad was finalised by coach John Manenti, with Hooper’s hopes dashed by an injury-plagued transition from 15-a-side rugby.
He made his Test debut in 2012 as a 20-year-old and two years later became the youngest to captain Australia since Ken Catchpole, and also became the youngest to play 100 Tests. Hooper won four John Eales Medals, a player-voted award for the Wallaby of the year, while he was twice nominated for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year.