Numbers tell a story but not always the full story or the most important, and they don’t always get to the heart of the matter.
Sometimes they lie.
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Michael Hooper doubters – that opinionated breed who question the incumbent Australian skipper’s captaincy credentials and continued presence in the No.7 jersey – often point to numbers to highlight his perceived inadequacies.
Their go-to statistic is his underwhelming 38.5 per cent win rate as Wallabies leader. There’s also the number of classy players (four and counting) he’s criminally kept out of the openside flanker spot over the years – Sean McMahon, Liam Gill, Matt Hodgson, even the legendary David Pocock.
Critics point to Hooper’s height (182cm) and weight (101kg) as being totally inadequate for a modern openside flanker.
Even the number on his jersey attracts comment. Surely it should be higher – 12, perhaps, or better still 20. That would allow young Fraser McReight to start at No.7. He, at least, has had the good sense to grow to 184cm.
But back to Hooper and his record nine yellow cards in gold. True, some of them were for team offences, but that’s neither here nor there.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
And his 20 Test five-pointers, which make him the Wallabies’ most prolific try-scoring forward? Well, of course, he only scored them because he was seagulling out on the wing, where no other Aussie backrower would be seen dead.
Except Pete Samu sometimes, but he tucks his jersey in and pulls up his socks so we’ll let that go.
And Harry Wilson, maybe. But he’s young; he’ll learn.
Hooper, of course, was at the helm that infamous day in 2020 when the Wallabies received their worst-ever shellacking, 43 points to 5, at the hands of the All Blacks.
That he was also the captain a year earlier when the Wallabies recorded their biggest points win against New Zealand, 47 points to 26, was purely coincidental.
Twenty-two proved a particularly bad number for him, his age when he assumed the captaincy of his country in 2014.
Yes, it was the era of the captain’s curse – when anyone vaguely qualified for the job was injured, retired or enjoying the sunny south of France – so maybe there wasn’t any choice.
But Hooper should have known that a teammate, along with his coach and CEO, would lose the plot.
Hooper became first-choice Test captain in 2017, was reappointed in 2020 and he’s still there. He’s been captain for almost exactly half of his Tests, 52 of 105.
As Alan Jones might point out, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Because people never learn or grow over the course of their career.
The media may harp on about Hooper being the fastest player to 50 Test caps in 2015 and the youngest when he received his 100th Test cap from coach Dave Rennie in 2020.
But that’s what happens when you’re selfish and keep turning in great performances so you don’t have to share your Wallabies spot with anyone else.
Amazingly, he’s convinced four successive Australia head coaches of his questionable value.
He barely paused for his one serious injury in nine seasons of Test rugby. Even two Israel Folau hand grenades lobbed onto the team bus couldn’t kill him off.
Perhaps if he’d turned a weapon on himself by telling fans they were a bunch of ignorant nobodies, things might have been different. But he didn’t, leaving Sam Cane to show how real leaders do it.
To be fair, Hooper did give up about three-quarters of his salary for three months to keep professional rugby afloat when the pandemic hit.
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
And, yes, there’s the tackle stats (sky-high), turnovers (not too shabby) and the way he goes for tries over penalty goals that makes many of us Aussies secretly proud, even when we’re cranky because we just know some butter-fingers is about to mess up.
He’s given dozens, if not hundreds, of media interviews where he insists on maintaining the faith even though just about everyone else has given up. And he’s surely zipped the lip a thousand times because full-blown, meltdown tanties are not what Wallaby captains do.
Yet, he remains for some the worst Wallabies captain ever. Except, of course, for that captain whose winning record is so bad we dare not speak the name John Thornett. With a paltry win rate of just 37.5 per cent, what a loser he was, right?
Wrong.
Thornett led the Wallabies through a challenging period. There were highs, including a series win against the Springboks, but also lows.
He wasn’t the flashiest player but he had a steady hand and unflinching courage. Today, he’s unquestionably accepted as a Wallaby great.
Michael Hooper’s teammates see the greatness in him. Wallabies stalwart Matt To’omua cites his care and his mental strength.
There’s the three John Eales Medals if you’re looking for proof of the esteem in which he’s held by his Test peers, and of course, seven Matthew Burke Cups at provincial level, having helped steer the Waratahs to their sole Super Rugby championship in 2014.
By year’s end he may have surpassed George Gregan’s Australian record of 59 Tests as captain.
Yet the longer his career, the more of a riddle Michael Hooper seems to become.
Is he the golden child who failed to live up to his promise and won’t let Australian rugby move on without him? Or is he simply one tough bastard, staying the course until his job is done?
Only time will tell.
Most likely, it will be long after his retirement before the Australian rugby community is able to see the true picture and his rightful place in it.
For now, though, the critical number in the Michael Hooper enigma code is two.
The two Tests the Wallabies need to win against the French to secure the series – and hopefully get the doubters off his back for a little while at least.
David Gallagher
Guest
I just don't get this chat about Hooper being a bad player. I think he has been rather badly treated with this kind of 'he souldn't be there talk' I have followed his career as an Irishman and any Test I have seen Hooper play he puts his body on the line, tenacious inat the breakdown, monster engine, turnovers, high tcakle count, constant jackal threat (I know its a 7s job but he does all of these well. His try count is respectable for a backrow. I think he has been unfortunate in many ways. he came into a team when Australia was a bit stronger than they are now and had a good back row partnership with Pocock. He faced a New Zealand team that was at the period of around the World Cup in England in 2015 which is almost peerless in comparison to any other professional rugby team, yet he done well always against McCaw (who is my fvaourite forward) since I began watching rugby. For someone to say he wouldn't make the queensland reds team is a bit rich and a bit ill advised. It is when a player retires that you appreciate who and what they done for your team. I had this process when my country lost Brian O'Driscoll and although we now have Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose (with the caveat that they are all accomplished players and international quality but they are not O'Driscoll. I hope in retropect those who criticise Hooper will one day sit and say Jeez Hooper was a damn fine player because as a non australian I would have him in my team in any old day. a gret great competitor in an Australian team which is suffering from a genuine lack of quality in some areas
QED
Roar Rookie
>>> He hasn’t been the difference as often as Pocock agree but he has been the difference and won test matches<<< ….and there is it. If there was never a David Pocock, this debate would not exist. Hooper is a great player, an outstanding player, a match-winning player but…. I'm, in the camp that Pocock was a better 7, played his best rugby at 7, and was world class enough to move to 8 and still be our best most influential player and (when fit ) our first pick on the team sheet. Pocock should have played at 7, then figuring out what to do with Hopper's talent should have come next.
QED
Roar Rookie
When he did Captain. Pocock was a better captain. This is purely subjective but when Pocock was back, fit and playing at 8 with Hoppers at 7. The thought of Pocock getting injured and not playing - Australia's collective rugby community held its breath because we had no replacement for what he did on the field and the impact on the game be it at 7 or 8. The thought of Hopper getting injured, was a pause, then think well that's a challenge but we can find a way around it. In deed there was that season where he missed quite a few Waratahs matches and they didn't miss a beat as his replacement (Wells??) stepped up and filled the apparently unfillable void.
Rugby Geek
Roar Rookie
JC using the skill of history! We both stand as modern-day geniuses. Hooper was the best I have seen him. Congratulations!
Jimbo81
Roar Rookie
How’s that going for ya now? Hooper’s career is over.
Ex force fan
Guest
You need to consider the opportunity cost, it is too easy to spend other people’s money. We have other 7s that almost as good and much cheaper and if we didn’t use the money on Hooper, Falou, Foley, Beale, Genia etc we would not, for example, had to axe the Force. Paying him and Falou more than $1 million season the same European clubs with billionaire backers were prepared to pay drove up the pay for other local players. It is important to understand your best next alternative, how he benchmark with other blind side flankers and captains (eg Sam Cane and Sia Kolisi), etc. He is definitely not a bargain.
PeterK
Roar Guru
not in rugby
Dougie
Roar Rookie
KB also benefited immensely from Cheika as his state coach. As did Mumm.
Gary .
Guest
Pricey was a Perpetual Winner , dragging ordinary /average teams up to winners status - he is No.1 .
Rugby Geek
Roar Rookie
JC, Impressed a well-written article. I think the key issue is the relationship with the head coach. It has to be tight to be right. But what if the style of the coach is not that great? MH has always been a tough arse competitor, usually best on the paddock. The attitude of the head coach dictates the style of the player interacting with the press and the ref. Rennie is a very impressive individual and brings a better culture as a person on the outside looking in. We will know if that is true tonight by how the game goes and the dealing with the ref and press after the game. As a Manly boy, there is no other option than to back this guy. Hoops is now and later will be regarded as a rugby legend. Marlins Rule!
JC
Roar Rookie
Hopper’s contract reflects his importance to us as well as his value on the open market. It’s a personal opinion but I think we got a bargain.
JC
Roar Rookie
Thanks, Francisco. The best players have those qualities that can’t be coached, don’t they?
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Well written and I agree entirely.
blerp
Roar Rookie
'Hooper was not a good link man' I question whether you've ever seen the man actually play. But, even if he 'wasn't good', he was still better than Poey.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Great bloke to be a trench wirh.
Obes
Guest
Bobby, Campo didn`t need to tackle. He single handedly beat the abs in that 1991 RWC semi. Player of the 1991 RUGBY WORLD CUP in fact.
Antony Henrie
Guest
If Hooper was from Brisbane he wouldn`t have made the Reds run on team. Liam Gill would have kept him out.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Numpty You're good at misquoting people cos you've just done it again :thumbup: I said .... "it’s possible that some on field decisions are decided on pre-game. And obviously we don’t know which one’s were and which were not. So the captain who makes the decisions on field has to take responsibility for them." How about you understand what people actually do say rather than what you'd like them to say :silly:
Rugger
Guest
To confirm the last comment r.e the 2016 England series my finger wasn’t pointed at Hooper, rather Foley and a diabolical Phipps. Phipps was England’s man of the series pipping Jonathan Joseph
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@JC Your excuse for Hooper has no legs. Hanson obviously thought Hooper was the least valuable of his 3 marquee players. That's why Read and la Roux got the nob for their 3 last games, including finals. And of course Cron didn't think Hooper was terrible - no one does. But he was clearly outplayed by S McMahon when they went head to head. If Hooper gets injured then WBs will have a much better captain on field and McReight will get the chance he now deserves. I'm predicting McReight will be a better no 7 than Hooper from 2022 anyway :thumbup: