Michael Hooper and James Slipper will co-captain Australia when they participate in the Rugby Championship and World Cup this year.
It’s the first time the Wallabies have had two captains. The inspiring Hooper will now lead the national team, which has had four different coaches in the past.
“Michael and James are both world-class players, strong leaders and embody what it means to be a Wallaby,” said Jones in announcing their appointment through 2023 among a 34-man squad for the Rugby Championship.
“They have worked hard with the leadership group since January, and it will be important they continue to have strong support from the players around them.”
Flanker Hooper is Australia’s most-capped captain. He has led the team in 68 of his 124 Tests. Last year, he took a two-month break for his mental health and gave the captaincy to prop Slipper.
Slipper also has a lot of experience. He has played in 127 Tests for the Wallabies, which is third on the all-time list after George Gregan (139) and Stephen Moore (129).
“It’s an absolute honour to lead the squad alongside Slips,” said Hooper.
“We’ve been having great discussions as a leadership group and wider squad throughout the year and there’s a really optimistic mindset as a collective heading into what’s a massive four months.”
Australia plays South Africa in Pretoria on July 8 and Argentina in Sydney a week later. They then play the All Blacks twice in the Bledisloe Cup before leaving for the World Cup in France in September and October.
Jones, who took over from Dave Rennie in January, put eight players with no caps on the team. Carter Gordon and Josh Kemeny from the Melbourne Rebels and Matt Faessler and Zane Nonggorr from the Queensland Reds were among them.
Tom Hooper and Ryan Lonergan, both of the ACT Brumbies, and Dylan Pietsch, a flyer for the NSW Waratahs and a former Australia Sevens player, were also called up.
Locked tower Richie Arnold was the last player who hadn’t won a cap yet. He had helped Stade Toulouse win the French Top 14 championship.
He was one of five players from outside of New Zealand who were named. The others were the experienced winger Marika Koroibete, the fly-half Quade Cooper, and the centre Samu Kerevi, who all play in Japan, and the La Rochelle lock Will Skelton.
“Giteau’s Law” says that Australia can only pick three players from outside of Australia. Jones asked Rugby Australia for permission to pick two more, and they agreed.
Playmaker Bernard Foley, who lives in Japan and has started the last six Tests, was one of the biggest players who didn’t make the team.
“Getting selected in the squad is just the start,” said Jones. “We’ve got to build the team now and that will require hard work and getting a little bit more out of everyone involved.”
Wallabies squad:
Allan Alaalatoa (ACT Brumbies), Richie Arnold (Stade Toulouse, (Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Matt Gibbon (Melbourne Rebels, Jed Holloway (NSW Waratahs), Michael Hooper (co-captain, NSW Waratahs), Tom Hooper ( ACT Brumbies), Rob Leota (Melbourne Rebels), Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds), Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds), David Porecki (10 Tests), Pete Samu (ACT Brumbies), Will Skelton (La Rochelle), James Slipper (co-captain, ACT Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Queensland Reds), Jordan Uelese (Melbourne Rebels), Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Quade Cooper (Kintetsu Liners), Lalakai Foketi (NSW Waratahs), Carter Gordon (Melbourne Rebels), Reece Hodge (Melbourne Rebels), Len Ikitau (ACT Brumbies), Marika Koroibete ( Saitama Wild Knights), Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Mark Nawaqanitawase (NSW Waratahs), Izaia Perese (NSW Waratahs), Suliasi Vunivalu (Queensland Reds), Nic White (ACT Brumbies), Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies), Ben Donaldson (NSW Waratahs), Josh Kemeny (Melbourne Rebels), Dylan Pietsch (NSW Waratahs), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), Langi Gleeson (NSW Waratahs), Andrew Kellaway (Melbourne Rebels), Samu Kerevi (Urayasu D-Rocks), Jordan Petaia (Queensland Reds), Matt Philip (Melbourne Rebels)
