Australia co-captain Michael Hooper will likely be left out of the Wallabies’ World Cup squad, local media reported Thursday, a move that could end the 125-Test veteran’s international career.
The Wallabies’ talismanic flanker has been in doubt for the tournament, which starts in September, since picking up a calf injury earlier this year.
Head coach Eddie Jones is due to unveil the 33-man squad later Thursday and is widely predicted to favour a host of younger players unscarred by the side’s struggles in recent years.
Asked recently if Hooper, 31, would make the cut, Jones told reporters to “just wait and see”.
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott, who led the Wallabies for the first time over the weekend in a plucky defeat to New Zealand, is in line to take over from Hooper as captain.
“Certainly he’s one of the strong candidates,” Jones said regarding the 24-year-old Queensland Reds product over the weekend.
Jones has been bullish about Australia’s chances at the World Cup, hosted by France, despite losing four games in a row since replacing out-of-favour New Zealander Dave Rennie.
Australia comfortably produced their best performance of Jones’ second stint in charge in Dunedin last Saturday, leading the All Blacks 17-3 at halftime before falling behind in the dying minutes of a 23-20 defeat.
Asked recently if he felt his eighth-ranked side could win at the World Cup, Jones replied: “One hundred percent, in fact I think we will, mate”.
“I think we’re definitely moving in the right direction, but we’ve got to win games.”
