Michael Hooper & Quade Cooper left out of World Cup

Long-time captain Michael Hooper and playmaker Quade Cooper missed out on Australia’s Rugby World Cup squad that was surprisingly led by France-based lock Will Skelton.

Also, there were three uncapped players: 18-year-old Waratahs fullback Max Jorgensen, who hasn’t played since May due to a knee injury, Brumbies prop Blake Schoupp and Western Force scrumhalf Issak Fines-Leleiwasa.

Hooper, the co-captain in the Rugby Championship, was widely expected to be left out on Thursday due to a calf injury after the first-round loss to South Africa on July 8. The 35-year-old Cooper was the first-choice No. 10 a month ago but dropped in the pecking order and came off the bench for Carter Gordon last weekend in Dunedin against New Zealand.

The World Cup flyhalves were Gordon, who has four caps, and Ben Donaldson, who has two.

As ever, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was bullish about the squad despite not yet winning a test this year.

“I’ve backed the young blokes because they earned it. Simple as that. I haven’t handed it to them. They grabbed it,” Jones said. “It’s exciting for me to go to work each day with these guys who are just busting to improve, to learn and to get better. They want to succeed, and they will succeed and that excitement is rubbing off on everyone. We’re in a good place.”

Only eight of the 33-man squad going to France have appeared at the World Cup. Prop James Slipper will be at his fourth.

Skelton, from European champion La Rochelle, will be at his second World Cup, eight years after his first. He’s the fifth player to lead the Wallabies in little more than a year, after Hooper, Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa and Tate McDermott, who will be Skelton’s deputy.

Center Len Ikitau, injured in the Rugby Championship, also lost the race against time.

Four defeats in four matches this year have dropped the Wallabies to eighth in the world rankings. They open the World Cup against Georgia on Sept. 9 in Paris. Their other Pool C opponents are Fiji, Wales, and Portugal.

“The experts have written us off,” Jones said. “No one believes we can do it, but we believe.”

The Wallabies have gathered in Darwin in the Northern Territory for a four-day camp. Their last warmup game is against World Cup favorite France on Aug. 27 at Stade de France.

Australia:
Forwards: Angus Bell, Pone Fa’amausili, Zane Nonggorr, Blake Schoupp, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, David Porecki, Jordan Uelese, Richie Arnold, Nick Frost, Matt Philip, Will Skelton (captain), Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Rob Leota, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini. Backs: Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Tate McDermott, Nic White, Carter Gordon, Lalakai Foketi, Samu Kerevi, Izaia Perese, Jordan Petaia, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Marika Koroibete, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Suliasi Vunivalu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Kemeny.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission