Michael Hooper (rugby union)

Michael Hooper

Michael Hooper in October 2012
Full name	Michael Hooper
Date of birth	(1991-10-29) 29 October 1991 (age 25)
Place of birth	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height	182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	101 kg (15 st 13 lb; 223 lb)
University	Macquarie University
Children	11
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Openside Flanker
Amateur clubs Years Club / team     2012– Manly Marlins
Professional / senior clubs Years Club / team Apps (points) 2014- North Harbour Rays 0 (0)
Super Rugby Years Club / team Apps (points) 2010–12 2013– Brumbies Waratahs 31 65 (25) (55) Correct as of 21 July 2016
National team(s) Years Club / team Apps (points) 2012– Australia 65 (65) Correct as of 26 November 2016

Michael Hooper (born 29 October 1991 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian rugby union player who is the captain for the Waratahs in Super Rugby, the Sydney Rays in the National Rugby Championship and is current vice captain of the national rugby side the Wallabies. His playing position is openside flanker.

Hooper played his junior rugby at the Manly Roos alongside other Wallabies such as George Smith. Hooper represented Australia under 20 at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship. Where he captained the side at times and was named International Player of the Tournament.

When Michael Hooper made his Brumbies debut in 2010, as stand-in for the injured George Smith, it was Smith's first missed Super Rugby game after 60 appearances, and only the second time that Smith had not fronted across 126 games for the Brumbies since his own debut in 2000.

After a breakout season for the Brumbies in 2012, he was signed by the New South Wales Waratahs where he will begin the 2013 season. 2012 was a standout year for Hooper who won many accolades including Brumbies best forward, Australian Rugby Union Rookie of year and was placed third for the John Eales medal after playing less than half of the polling games.

In 2013, Hooper played every Waratahs Super Rugby game in the season and he won the Australian Super 15 player of the year award, as well as the Waratahs player of the year award.

On 1 March 2014, Hooper was named captain for the Waratahs' clash with the Queensland Reds after team regular Dave Dennis' was ruled out of the game due to injury following the Waratahs' first game of the 2014 season against the Western Force. He led the Waratahs to their 32-5 win over the Reds at ANZ Stadium. He went on to play all of the games remaining in the Waratahs' 2014 season including the Grand Final against the Crusaders which he captained the boys and lead them to a 33-32 win over the Kiwi team at ANZ Stadium.