Under-fire Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has defined his resolution to depart Michael Hooper at dwelling for the Rugby World Cup, claiming he was not “the right role model” for the group.
Hooper, a 125-game veteran for the Wallabies, was a evident omission from the group that jetted to France together with Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley.
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Instead, Jones opted to call a youthful albeit inexperienced squad for the World Cup, with simply seven of the 33 gamers aged 30 or above.
However, Jones’ gamble on youth backfired because the Wallabies had been bundled out on the first stage of the event for the primary time ever.
It left many questioning whether or not the veteran presence of somebody like Cooper, Foley or Hooper would have been helpful to supply a cool head when occasions inevitably acquired powerful.
Yet Jones stood his floor when he revealed why the likes of Hooper weren’t taken alongside for the journey.
“The situation reminded me of when Wayne Bennett let Wally Lewis go,” Jones advised The Sydney Morning Herald.
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“No-one could quite understand why, but Wally Lewis wasn’t a great role model for the rest of the team.
“And for those guys, I don’t think they were the right role models for the team going forward.
“Don’t get me wrong. They’re not bad guys.
“But you need guys – particularly when you’ve got a team like Australia has at the moment – you need guys who are obsessed with winning, obsessed with being good, and those three are past those stages.”
When additional pressed why he lumped Hooper — who had captained the Wallabies for a number of years — into the class of not being a fantastic function mannequin, Jones doubled down.
“I stand by it, 100 per cent,” Jones stated.
“He is a great guy but the timing is not right for him.”
Jones’ feedback will make it an extremely awkward ambiance between the pair given they are going to each be concerned within the Barbarians’ sport in opposition to Wales on November 4.
Hooper is one among 5 Aussies set to participate within the sport alongside Taniela Tupou, Rob Leota, Angus Bell and Rob Valentini.
As for Jones, he’ll jet into the Barbarians camp to assist coach Scott Robertson, who is ready to take over as All Blacks coach from Ian Foster in 2024.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au