Wallabies coach Michael Cheika hasn’t given up hope of seeing veteran flanker George Smith back in a gold No.7 jumper.
Turning 37 in June, Smith has all but called time on his international career despite once again showing his class in his return to Super Rugby with Queensland, following a series of title-winning stints in Europe and Japan.
The ageless warrior insists he remains competitive with the best after being among the Reds’ standouts in Saturday night’s season-opening 28-26 win over the Sharks in Brisbane.
Smith, though, has already told Cheika he’s done with the Wallabies after a decorated 111-Test career.
But that hasn’t deterred the influential mentor whose masterful motivating and powers of persuasion have already earned Cheika world coach of the year honours in 2015.
“Once he gets back and gets the experience of playing, which he had first up last weekend, and got back into the groove of Super Rugby, just let him see how he enjoys it for a while,” Cheika said on Fox Sports’ new Kick and Chase program.
“If he’s playing well enough and I happen to cross paths with him in the street, you never know; I might just see what he’s doing.
“But he’s still playing at a very good level, obviously, and realistically at the last World Cup in 2015, if we weren’t so blessed with No.7s who are playing here in front of us, then I think he would have been an automatic selection to be honest, by the way he was playing overseas.
“But because those players were playing here in front of us and are pretty handy players themselves in Pocock, Hooper, McMahon, those sorts of guys, it sort of put him behind the eight-ball a bit there.”
Refusing to shut the door on seemingly any former Wallabies returning after stints overseas, Cheika is even keeping an open mind about James O’Connor.
In a rollercoaster career littered with off-field misdemeanours, O’Connor’s weekend arrest and subsequent charge of cocaine possession is set to spell an end to his spell with French giants Toulon.
Former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns also believes O’Connor’s international career is over.
But Cheika – who described chasing the big money in Europe at the height of their careers as “fool’s gold” – indicated the 26-year-old serial offender may yet receive another chance.
“James, it’s disappointing for him,” he said.
“(But) we’ve got to take the football out of it for a second and say ‘he’s obviously a good lad deep down. Otherwise he wouldn’t be in this game.
“If he wasn’t, he’d be off doing other stuff. He wouldn’t want to play footy, be in a team sport, have the camaraderie around him being in that.
“So there’s a good lad in there somewhere and you’ve just got to leave the footy out of it for a minute and let the guy get the assistance he needs to get back personally first of all and then see what happens with that with footy.”
Hello Everybody.
Guest
No they were not. Both Hooper and Pocock got nominated for world player of the year and Fardy was in the form of his life. Some may argue that NZ still had the better backrow but I dont think they did. I thought all 3 Aus outplayed all 3 NZers over the year.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
You are not very convincing. Just keep it real. Im from NZ, where are you from? Anyway...Gill signed to head overseas at 23 after a bunch of caps. He was behind Hooper, the guy winning all the awards and at least Pocock. He needed to force his way in but opted to chase money. I dont buy this talk about Cheika, McKenzie and Deans being biased by selecting Hooper when Hooper is winning all the awards. Its not 1 coach, its 3. All a conspiracy though? Sure Gill had a massive challenge to force his way in because both Pocock and Hooper were recognised as 2 of the worlds best and well established ahead of Gill but thats no reason to say Gill was pushed out of Aus. He wasnt. Gill, at 23, signed for money over playing for Aus. Thats a simple fact. At 23. After being capped about 15 times. At 23. Sympathy? Why, he gave up and took the money. At 23.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
No. No, NO. He is an outstanding 7 but you prefer a different style of 7 thats hard on the ball. You think you know what a 7 does and is. Thats the whole problem. Its not that Hoopers coaches have made a mistake by picking him at 7. Its because you think you know what a 7 is and wont accept Hooper is one as a result. Thats your problem. You dont seem to want accept this so you claim all the awards and selections are for some other reason. Its quite frustrating. He is a different kind of 7 to Hodgson or Pocock but he has and always will be a 7. This is my point. Its not because all the people who decide awards and all his coaches dont understand the game like you. Its because you dont understand how he is considered so good at 7. Let me make that clear...its because you dont understand. If you can start there instead of insisting all the coaches and players are wrong and Hoopers not a good 7... You dont understand. Thats it. Nothing else. Hooper is an outstanding 7 and will continue to be considered that. You dont understand why and thsts OK but if hes constently winning awards and nominations at 7. Thats not because hes not a good 7. You just dont understand why. Thats the truth. Please come to terms with it. Hoopers been one of your best players and for the last 5 years I keep hearing all this talk of how hes not a 7 and should be dropped. Then he wins the award for your best player and gets nominated for world player of the year. Its not because Deans, Cheks, McKenzie and White dont know, its because you dont understand. Its not because Hoopers not a 7. Its because you mistakenly think you know what a 7 should be like and Hooper doesnt fit that ideal. Now can we move on? Or are you going to keep saying the guy who just won the JE medal at 7 isnt good in that position?
Hello Everybody.
Guest
Oh dear. I didnt say he was the worlds best 7. Just that he ...oh forget it. You know better.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Sort of suits you have Hooper and Mumm selected over Fardy/Timani and Pocock/Gill, doesn't it ?? Not that you need the extra help anyway... Mate, check out my photo - there's nothing we can do. I hope that this year either (a) Cheika figures things out both strategically and in terms of selection or (b) he loses so catastrophically that he's fired and we select a new coach with a bit more vision and creativity.
OTARA BOY
Guest
Liam Gill was never going to get a decent crack whilst Michael Chieka was aussie coach bro.You still don't get it..Michael Hooper will never be moved from 7 unless injured. Why play for less than half the money in Australia ( Liam Gill ) when you know it`s highly likely you will not get selected ?. Piatau had more of a chance to continue playing for the ABS because Steve Hansen does not show bias like Chieka does. But Charles took the big $$$$$$$$$ Hansens selection policy is this. " If you are the best. I will pick you" ! Liam Gill did the right thing, and he will be back when Chieka is sacked.
OTARA BOY
Guest
Forget it everybody., Hello Everybody just wont listen!!. It`s been a closely guarded secret amongst us Kiwis, but ill let you know now because you guys need a chance to compete with us. Us New Zealanders rate him ( cheekily ) because we don't want Chieka to pick a real ruck monkey like GIll Poey Smith Cottrell Hodgson etc etc as the 7. Michael Chiecka has fallen for it and now look what`s happened..Chiekas career is on the line. FAIL this year and he is gone. Michael Hooper at 7 totally unbalances your back row..I cannot see ozzies winning a test against quality opponents for a long long time .. The poms saffas and Irish have also worked him out The bigger elephant in the room is Dean Mumm. How do you ozzies keep letting Michael Chieka get away with him getting selected??
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
That was rude of me, sorry. You do have an idea. I just can't agree Hooper is a 'great' 7. He is a very good rugby player, but for me he is only a decent or good international 7 because of his limitations in the core roles a 7 requires.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
He's the best because he wins awards at 7...? Good logic, mate! Despite discounting the possibility that perhaps he wins awards at 7 for other reasons: 1. He is only played at 7, so that is the only position he would win awards; 2. Michael Cheika has consistently picked him at 7 over Pocock (even when both are fit) so it wasn't a fair contest; 3. Hooper is neer injured, so by playing more minutes than his competitors he can win awards that he would lose on a per minute basis (for example last year I think Pocock actually got far more votes than Hooper if you calculated the JE medal on a per minutes played basis); 4. The last time the Wallabies were consistently good was under Deans (I think Link would have turned it around had he stayed - things were moving in the right direction), which is a time when Pocock was played over Hooper 5. Hooper can be a good rugby player, but if he can't perform the core functions of the number 7 role better than the other options he shouldn't be Wallaby 7 - Hooper is ineffective at rucking and poor at pilfering. He's a good footballer but requires Pocock at 8 and Fardy at 6 to make up for his deficiencies at the breakdown. He isn't a bad player, but he was just cleary a worse option than Pocock. I think Gill was a better option to persist with because of his wider array of core 7 skills than Hooper. Who needs facts when you can just quote awards out of context though? Diplomatic or not, you have no idea, mate.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
See, there it is. So even though the last 3 Wallaby coaches, Jake White (WC winning coach) and his new Tah coach pick him at 7 and hes won or been nominated for every award possible playing at 7 you say he isnt a 7. Now you seem to be all full of bluster trying to have a go at me now but Im simply trying to be diplomatic by pointing out how everyone whos anyone in rugby circles thinks M.Hooper is one of the best 7s in the world....wait, wait, wait....thats not up for debate, hes been given awards for it and was the only 7 nominated for world player of the year in 2015. So without being diplomatic...you are wrong because he wins awards at 7. Your confusion lies in the fact that you think you know what a 7 is and does despite the evidence. So you should be saying that you dont like the style of 7 Hooper is. Not that all the top rugby guys in the world dont understand the game like you do. Aus could do with some more guys good over the ball. Engs locks and Cole help out there quite a bit and Itojes amazing considering his size. Aus dont have that I guess, especially without Fardy. Hooper is an excellent 7, one of the best in the world, thats why he wins all kinds of awards and gets national selection there. Its not a trick, its not because they dont understand the game as well as you or that you know better. Hooper will be the Wallaby captain and be in the team for a long time. You need to come to terms with that because if the last 5 years selection and all the awards and nominations havnt convinced you that you might be the one missing something I think youll never understand but you can recognise thats your fault, not all the rugby worlds fault.
piru
Roar Rookie
Uh oh, Hello's found a thread with people discussing Hooper We must all be told we are wrong and Hooper is 'one of the best in the world' best at what exactly? It ain't 7
Marto
Guest
Won`t happen Fionn 6 and 7 are locked in already by Cheika.....All he needs now is a 8 who fetches and disrupts opposition ball and cleans out effectively and his backrow will be complete.. My $$$$$$ is on Hodgson,, We all know Chieka doesn`t rate the lineout much, so 3 jumpers will suffice.. 4 Coleman 5 Arnold 6 Mumm 7 Hooper 8 Hodgson
DOUBLES
Guest
jameswm Now we know you are taking the puss..Higgers slow?? Mumm is quicker though !! .Right ?? hahahahaha :)
DOUBLES
Guest
The ARU forced Ewen and Robbies hand to pick the Golden Child after Pococks injury (Robbie did pick Liam Gill and Hooper in 2013 ) Politics got Hooper a start over Gilly... You know it ,we all know it, so cut the playing possum act ..Stop living in the past buddy, Current form is all that matters and he has been woefeul as a 7 for many many years ... Aus International player of the year winner ...Voted by his Waratah pals that make up more than half the wallaby squad.. You do know he has only missed one game in 4 years ( Even when badly out of form).. More games equates to more votes from his Waratah pals...Do you understand yet ?? haha One of the best players in the world?? hahahaha Well he hasn't shown anything on the paddock to suggest that mate.. What have we won with him at 7 ?? One solitary shortened TRI nations when we didn`t have to go to South Africa in 2015... Go on Hello, type with your 3 thumbs and stick your tongue out.. I await your response haha Good-day Hello
Vic rugby
Guest
Thats the chieka way! Get the old boys back.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I don't think Australia's problem is that Hooper isn't good enough. I think the issue is that he has had a monopoly on the 7 jersey since Cheika took over, mate. Pocock has been our best forward since... Well, since George Smith retired. Despite that, however, Cheika has consistently picked Hooper at 7 above Pocock, and our results (and statistics have demonstrated this) have suffered from it. We are much the worse team when Pocock isn't playing. Cheika recognises this and continued to select Pocock at 8 in order to make up for Hooper's deficiencies. Hooper is an excellent defender and has an extremely high work-rate and a lot of passion. The issue is that he lacks power, technique and nous at the breakdown and so, despite hitting a lot of them, he often isn't effective enough when he does so. The continued selection of Hooper at 7 has necessitated Pocock at 8, which has had negative flow on effects for the team in (i) the scrum; (ii) when trying to make meters in the tight; and (iii) especially in the line-out. Now we have Cheika talking about bringing Smith back and as Hooper has a monopoly on 7 it is very possibly Cheik would play Smith at 8 if Smith wanted to play. Imagine if Sane Cane had continually been selected at 7 for the last three years, and Hansen had then played McCaw at 8, thereby pushing Read out of the team. I think you'd be pretty pissed off about it. It's the same situation. Cheik picks an inferior player, who can't perform his core 7 duties as well as some of the other options. Hooper is flashy with his runs, but doesn't effectively do the grunt forward work as well as Pocock/even Gill did.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I don't know who is talking about 3 coaches? I disagree, mate. Unlike this last year that involved one useless backrower (Mumm), one quick backrowerr who, while having a big workrate and hitting rucks was completely ineffective when doing it and couldn't pilfer (Hooper) and one class back rower (Pocock), this one would include two players that are fantastic at the breakdown and one who will get over the gain line in the tight. Oh, and it has 2 line-out targets rather than one.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
So Deans, Cheika, McKenzie, his playing peers and the World player of the year panel are all wrong? Seriously, can we not move on from complaining about Hooper when everyone who counts in world rugby rates him as one of the best players in the world? I guess not. Some people just think they know better. I find it strange because I come from NZ and our best players are given such hero status. I come to Aus and your best players are treated so poorly by the media and fans so often. Its hard to reason why. The guys won so many awards and played well enough to be recognised as one if the best players in the world and yet here you are trying to put him down with every post. I dont understand and I cant imagine how the players feel when they visit NZ and see how we love our players and they know they have to go home to this. Im sure hes smart enough and mature enough to know that those who know and understand the game rate him, his opponents, coaches and team mates understand his worth but Im also sure he must get wind of this negative vitirol that he and so many other Wallabies get from the public. Where does it come from? Its like Aus is seperated into factions and no matter how many awards and praise players get from all around the world if that particular player isnt part of your factions players you go on the attack. You guys do know that Hooper is considered one of the best players in the entire world right? Im at a loss and I can only wish for a day when I can come on here without all the people flogging the guy who just won the award for Australia best player. I mean, how odd.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
And then more players will leave. Then Aus Super Rugby teams will fail. Then Super Rugby will fail. They everyone will leave. But when will Aus rugby realise they need send all their best players off shore chasing better money?
Hello Everybody.
Guest
See off Gill? Gill gave up on Wallaby selection for money at 23 years old. Gill deserves no sympathy from anyone. Next youll be claiming Piutau was chased away by Hansen. If any player wants to become a Wallaby I suggest they stick around try to earn selection. Some see Gill as a martyr. I see him for a 23 year old chasing money over playing for his country.