Wallabies back-rower Tom Hooper has a strong claim for overtime. The former Brumbies player has barely stopped playing rugby for 18 months, switching from Super Rugby to Tests and then moving straight into a long, gruelling season in England with Exeter.
Hooper remains happy to hang around a little longer with the Wallabies and is set to join prop Taniela Tupou and return from two Tests in Argentina to face South Africa in Perth in September, but remains unlikely to be available for the Bledisloe Cup series in October.
Like Tupou, Hooper’s selection for the Wallabies falls under World Rugby’s regulation 9, which covers the mandatory release of players by clubs for Test rugby.
“I’ll probably miss the start of the Exeter season (in September). I am available to play any kind of games in (World Rugby’s) Regulation 9 window, within that international window, so as long as they keep picking me, I’ll keep showing up,” Hooper said.
“Whenever I’m not allowed to (play), because of rules and all that jazz, I’ll head back to Exeter and keep showing up for them, and then hopefully pop back in the Wallaby camp. So it’s a bit of a back and forth for me for the next couple of years.”
Hooper, who fractured his shoulder blade during a 12-minute cameo against Ireland in July, will return to play in Australia with the Reds in 2028. The back-rower described the injury as a blessing in disguise given his need to rest body and mind.
“You really notch up the games over there in (England). I’ve already played 20 or 25 odd games for the Exeter Chiefs, which is a massive workload,” Hooper said.
“Obviously, I was absolutely gutted to be missing out on some quality Test matches (against Japan and Italy) … but you definitely have just got to listen to your body and that’s what we learn as athletes.”
The Wallabies are currently training in Buenos Aires and will travel to Jujuy on Thursday before facing the Pumas at Estadio 23 de Agosto this Saturday.
The stadium commemorates August 23, 1812, when Manuel Belgrano, a military leader in the Argentine War of Independence, ordered the locals in Jujuy to burn everything to the ground rather than give anything to the advancing Spanish loyalist army.
Wallabies playmaker Ben Donaldson is far more aware of the city’s more recent history that includes a passionate rugby community, something that he is ready to embrace.
“You hear stories of lasers, people throwing stuff on the field and whatnot, but you’ve just got to embrace whatever comes; it’s going to be a pretty cool experience,” Donaldson said.
“I’ve played in Argentina before and every stadium you play in, it’s quite compact and very hostile. It’s an awesome experience and the supporters are so passionate for their team, which is great to see.
“When it comes to the game you just kind of dial into your process and everything should take care of itself; you’ve just got to embrace the experience and embrace the challenge.”
The Pumas squad are missing French-based Test veterans such as hooker Julian Montoya, back-rower Marcos Kremer, centre Santiago Chocobares, winger Mateo Carreras and playmaker Tomas Albornoz.
But after facing Argentine players throughout last season with Exeter in European and domestic competitions, Hooper is fully prepared for the threat they bring, regardless of who is in the Pumas squad.
“We know what (threat) Argentina pose; they’re threats in terms of a physical forward pack and really electric backs,” Hooper said.
“Half of those boys have been to the Olympics and have played sevens in the past. We know that it’s a really good mix of a physical game and also really exciting prospects out wide, so we’re just going to match that in both areas.”
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