Friday’s rugby news has Michael Hooper free to play in the Bledisloe Cup, Quade Cooper unwanted by his club side, Albert Anae joins the Brumbies and England presented social media guidelines.
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Hooper Free for Bledisloe
Michael Hooper has been suspended for one week but will be available to play the All Blacks on August 8.
Hooper will serve his suspension for Manly in their quarter-final against Randwick on Saturday after the Wallabies flanker was named on the bench for Manly earlier this week.
“He hasn’t been cleared, he has been found guilty and I know that Michael from the moment he got cited was disappointed. He is such a clean player,” said Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
“He plays hard but he plays very fair and very clean so he is very, very disappointed. Like he said, we are not keen on seeing our players being cited and then being given a suspension of any kind that is going to stick on that man’s record.
“That (Bledisloe Cup) part is a bonus, no doubt about that, the fact that he is going to be available for that match. Now he just has to hunker down and train hard and get himself in.”
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Cooper Unwanted by Club
Quade Cooper has been turned down by his club rugby team Souths after offering his services to the club for their match this weekend.
Souths coach Brett Picone has decided to stick with his backline rather than risking unsettling it.
“We’re pretty excited but we have no pressure or expectations on us,” Picone said.
“From day one I don’t think anyone’s expected us to get there.”
Minor premiers Easts will take on Souths in Sunday’s Premier Rugby grand final.
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Anae Joins Brumbies
Former Queensland Reds player Albert Anae has signed a one year deal with the Brumbies with the option of a second year.
Anae played 27 matches for the Queensland Reds before joining Italian club Benetton Treviso.
“I thought I had a lot more to give to Australian rugby and I wanted to give it a crack one more time in Super Rugby,” Anae said.
“I enjoyed my time [in Italy], but deep down inside I knew I wanted to come back to Super Rugby.
“To get picked up by the Brumbies, it’s a real honour to be here. You come across forwards that play internationals for their own countries and you get real starstruck.”
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England’s Twitter Rules
In the lead up to the World Cup England’s rugby players have been given a long list of social media guidelines.
Players have also been warned to refrain from posting pictures of drinking, smoking, nudity or while driving.
The Telegraph newspaper gained access to a copy of a 24-point social media guide for the World Cup, which includes the advice: “do not post when you are in a bad mood or immediately after a tough loss” and warns: “Other players may try to provoke you via social media. Don’t react.”
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