Boyd Cordner and Michael Hooper have lost the right to captain

wrong article.

Mix a bit of CO into your tanks for the next dive and do us all a favour Steve.

I don't believe Folau is a great fullback just that he offers a lot more than both Hodge and DHP. I wouldn't say they run rings around him either

I think the comments by ThugbyFan are particularly well put. David Lord’s view that Hooper is not the best captain is probably well-founded, but his suggestions that he should be sitting on the bench are beyond stupid. From a Waratah’s perspective the comments by Faith also resonates, in that Hooper is always so much putting himself out there that he really isn’t giving enough weight to being the captain. We have been truly lacking in hard men in the tight five for so long now (Rob Simmons, please retire) that Hooper thinks he’s molded himself into a do-everything player. The problem is, who to replace him? Genia had a dabble at captaincy five years ago and the quality of his play went downhill dramatically Both Genia and Pocock are not lucky specimens when it comes to injury and I really don’t expect either of them to be available for long stretches of time. Coleman has been a major disappointment this year and whether it has been because of his captaincy I have no idea, but he isn’t even close to fulfilling that role. Pocock has had limited experience as captain and my recollection was that he was fair only, certainly not outstanding. So, accepting Hooper is not by any means the best captain, we are limited by a lack of viable alternative.alternatives.

" Rubbish!, Michael Hooper is by a long stretch the best player in the Waratahs and Wallabies" Cheika has fallen for this trick for 4 years.When will he learn ?

Kiwikrs " Folau easily light years ahead " Well of course you`d love Folau playing against your beloved ABs,as they always run rings around him ay bro. hahaha .Reverse psychology by you New Zealanders and Chuckles has fallen for it for 4 years in a row.

Far too many silly people here splitting hairs over issues of no significance. Hooper is a poor captain and everyone knows it (or should know it) except Cheika. Pocock would be my Wallaby and Brumbies captain. He did it 5 years ago and was great. He and Folau are the 2 best players we've got. Pocock is a much better No 7 than Hooper imo. He's a man people respect and he speaks honestly and inspires others. And for all you right wing bigots out there who don't like Pocock's personal views on various issues - choke on it. At least he believes passionately in things, makes a difference and has the courage to speak articulately about it. Hooper is just another tedious tin man toeing the company line. That's why no one listens to him.

Is this comment a joke? Out of the Hannigan replacements (who plays second row/6) you only mention one in the same position. Fardy, who is currently overseas and ineligible. Folau despite being overrated is easily light years ahead of DHP and Hodge Smith is no longer test level and has past his use by date for test rugby. Faingaa could make the squad at best. Meakes doesnt offer the 2nd playmaker role that the Wallabies play with and doesn't offer the level of attack Beale does. Daugunu is a winger and English is wider squad at best(also repeat comments for Meakes) Hodge and Deb struggle to make the SR 1/5 grade and are definitely nowhere near test level. Lance offers no real benefit over Foley and Stewart cant even start at SR level so how can you propel him to the test team.

not a complete choke...what was it then, a coughing fit that lasted 50 minutes?

The article is saying that you can be a great/good player but that does not make you a leader. OZ rugby is crying out for leadership, both at team and senior levels as clearly vs our ditch ANZAC allies we are lacking. Why can't a player be great but not a leader? Leadership is a specific skill. Power to the author for the proposition.

You are being very kind naming those 'quality footballers' that Hooper has in his team. Just take Pocock - he's played little football over the past two years and when he's plays No8 he's not up to that ball carrying role. he's been good at the Brumbies this year playing his traditional No 7 role which will not happen with the Wallabies. Coleman may be the best lock in Australia but against the best opponents struggles. And to say that the named players would get a run in most international sides is misleading. Folau - maybe, but would Scotland for example drop Hogg for Folau, Beale - probably no and even Genia would struggle to get picked in any Six Nations side. Add to that the crazy all moving part defence system that the Wallabies tried (surely down to hiding players) then what chance does Hooper have. I'm not saying that Hooper is a great captain but he should be judged fairly. Who was the last good captain - it certainly wasn't Moore. By the way apart from Genia who do you choose? Ask yourself is Coleman doing a good job for the Rebels? and then there's no one!!!

david focus on the real issues.... ! the problem is not michael hooper. the fundemental problem is we lack the talent in the first 15. and our depth outside of that is limited. problem number 2 is the wallabies tactics. they play the same against everyone. ball in hand and maintain possession. too predictable. too inflexible. i fear a 3 nil pasting coming on against the irish. they are looking at a level above england and at least as good as nz. after we get the pasting why not focus on the real issues.... not the captaincy. write a article suggesting how to foster more talent and depth....!

Fionn, to be really honest my take of the Crusaders match was the crook "non decisions" by the Four Blind Mice, herein called O'Keefe et al, didn't lose the game for the Tahs so much as made it shockingly difficult for them to hold out the Crusaders comeback. For mine the Tahs lost because at 0-29, the Crusaders shifted to a tight forward power game and the Tahs didn't have the cattle or leadership to change and combat this type of game. A similar thing happened at the Lions match, Tahs were all over them like a bad rash in the 1st half, Lions changed to a tighter forward game and Tahs collapsed in a heap to lose (by a strange co-incidence) 29 zip. Tired with having to deal with an angry Crusaders in Bully mode, the Tahs lost 4 of their forward to injury in the 1st 45 minutes. That alone would wreck any side as apart from disrupted plans and teamwork it means many players couldn't be subbed even if exhausted. From memory the reserve prop HJH played as flanker for the last 30 odd minutes, I also found it strange that the reserve prop Shambeckler Vui didn't get a run at all. This is what David is on about re: M.Hooper's leadership. I think PeterK above puts the Tah's faults perfectly. Hooper is a great player with a huge motor but at times the Tahs play like some are playing their own game rather than as a solid team all playing to the game plan. A captain with gravitas would have everyone on the same song sheet pretty quickly or else! wrt the referees, I don't think Hooper annoys referees like S.Moore did but refs do have a tin ear with him. Its really interesting watching how Kiwi captains massage the referees' egos whilst at the same time instructing the ref.

Hooper is a great player. Few loose forwards would score that try that he did against the Blues and many other turnaround moments in his career. Somewhat comparable to Kwagga Smith. Leaves it all out there. Unlucky to be playing when Oz rugby is going through such a dearth of the tight 5. But his comments that Tahs are going well in training and other things he says leave one agog. Nice bloke but says atrocious things and can be a real meathead. Clearly has a hero-mentality. Takes the points when Tahs have momentum - goes for the lineout when better to go for the points ... games are won upfront and Tahs or Wallabies don't have the tight 'hard men' forwards to really slow down the game and crunch the opposition that other world class Test teams have. Tadh Furlong. Devin Toner. Retallick. Whitelock. O Franks. Lol. Moody. Billy Vunipola. It's no coincidence that Wallabies improved somewhat with Coleman and Arnold. You need bruisers and Wallabies and Tahs are short. Hooper needs backup. Who does Hooper have? Simmons and Hanigan. Watch Hemotopo and Franklin this weekend and see whether they take a step back. 80 minutes and Hooper with no backup ... guess why it goes the way it does ...

yeah good idea Jimbo you nut job.

David, count the losses there mate. who were they against? England away; All Blacks and Some red hot scottish team (who may make the semi's in 2019). Does the coach get to take some of the loss percentage? what about the 13, 11, 14, 6, 4, , 1, 2, ? Wait. Pocock wasn't even playing during that year. Genia was injured most of if not all of it.

Pocock and Genia are gross liabilities and have bodies of glass which is easily broken! ~ both should chuck it away! High paid liabilities both and past their best!

He scores more often then not. He defends more then most. Don't forget that impact is felt off the ball as much as on the ball. Him hovering at 12.5 in attack forces space inside and also space outside. Not discussing captaincy here just your point on bench spot.

I am a hooper fan. Wallabies and Tahs supporter. Do I think he should be captain? Of the Tahs yes. Of the Wallabies I think Genia. But then if Genia is captain does the responsibility reduce his game effectiveness like Coleman at Rebels? David do you really believe what you write or are you just being inflammatory. The later I can easily understand as it makes for discussion but If the former I have to think you really don't know what your talking about.

I am a hooper fan. Wallabies and Tahs supporter. Do I think he should be captain? Of the Tahs yes. Of the Wallabies I think Genia. But then if Genia is captain does the responsibility reduce his game effectiveness like Coleman at Rebels? David do you really believe what you write or are you just being inflammatory. The later I can easily understand as it makes for discussion but If the former I have to think you really don't know what your talking about.