Rugby is fun says Michael Hooper

What do you think your strengths are as an openside flanker and what do you have to work on?

I think I get through a lot of work in ball carrying and tackling and getting into a few rucks… I think it’s constantly improving those. You’re never going to have a perfect game but you can work hard on little things in a game like certain details in your tackling and your ruck work.

You’re not a big bopper – how do you bust tackles like you do?

No I’m not (laughs). I guess you’ve got to find different ways and use the feet to get through otherwise you’re going to get smashed. I’m not going to be running straight into big guys any time soon.

What differences are there between yourself and David Pocock in the way you play the position?

That’s a tough question. Dave is obviously an outstanding player. Probably I play a bit looser; a bit more ball-in-hand. I enjoy running and linking; those are the aspects I like to bring to my game.

Last year you played in your first Test, in Newcastle, four days after starting a Super Rugby match in Canberra — a hectic time?

That was a busy week. During that week we had two days up in Sydney with the Wallabies then had to fly back and play the Rebels. It was a full-on time but real exciting.

After that was some fine play from the bench against Wales but then came another bit of good luck/bad luck when Pocock was injured in the first Bledisloe match?

Yeah, it’s always unfortunate when people get injured but that’s the way you get your opportunity sometimes. I loved my time in the jersey [from then on]; it was a really a fun team to play with and a great time with Sharpie ending his career and people like Stephen Moore and that around.

The Wallabies’ squad is a really good environment to be in.

Fifteen Test matches in six months with some Super Rugby games in between was a big ask for the Wallabies and you played in 13 of the Tests – did you and the other guys get enough of a break?

We managed to get a good break in the off-season. It’s just as much a matter of managing your loads during the year – training and things like that. The games are there to be played and everybody wants to play, but you have to manage your loads week by week.

Some fans weren’t happy with the Wallabies’ results – all those 15 Tests could have been lost….

The thing I’ve learned during the last year is that every game is a Grand Final. It means so much to the public and it’s always going to be tough because there’s so much riding on it. The [three] blow-outs were exceptions and they’re tough [to take]; but winning most of the close ones meant we ended up having a good year.

You’ve had some different coaches over the last 12 months – White, Deans and now Cheika – different styles?

Yeah, all different styles but you learn a huge amount from all of them and that’s the great thing about having all these coaches because you’re learning constantly.

The Waratahs seemed to fade in games last year – what is your view of their standard of fitness at the minute?

It’s great: the guys have been absolutely getting flogged for a few months now. Everybody’s in great shape and really enjoying it; there’s a great fitness culture because of the work that’s been done.

Hopefully you won’t be available too much to play for Manly but it would be good to have an occasional game with brother Richard again — he had a cracking year in 2012 didn’t he?

Yeah, he did. I didn’t get the chance to play there last year but I love playing for Manly and getting to play with not only Rich, but all my other mates down there; it’s good fun.

Who is the faster over 40 metres – you or (winger) Rich?

Rich would be. I’d like to say myself but he’d have me easily (laughs).

You’re living with your folks in Collaroy – a bit of a change from sharing with the likes of Nic White and Dan Palmer?

Yeah — it’s a nice change (laughs). Got to catch up with them last week in [Wallabies] camp and it was great to see them, but Dan doesn’t cook as good a meal as my mum does.

Thanks to the HSBC Waratahs Media Unit for the ‘The Waratahs are fit’ photo.

THIS OLD BLOG IS BEING USED FOR WORDPRESS EXERCISES

 

Welcome to to Round 15 of Foreign Exchanges which keeps track of Super Rugby games not involving Aussies teams.

It’s getting down to the wire in all Conferences and two games we covered were of top importance.

Super Rugby came to Fiji for the first time as the Chiefs elected to play a home game in Suva, against the Crusaders. The Chiefs had st