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The opportunity to captain his nation at a Rugby World Cup looms as the greatest honour of James Slipper’s sometimes-turbulent career, but the veteran prop insists his only focus is helping the Wallabies seize an opportunity to create history.
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Coach Eddie Jones named Slipper and fellow stalwart Michael Hooper as co-captains on Sunday in his squad for the Rugby Championship, the first time Australia has gone with multiple leaders.
It completes a remarkable turnaround for Slipper, fined and suspended in 2018 for breaching Rugby Australia’s illicit drugs policy and having gone more than two years without playing for the national team.
The 34-year-old, 127-cap Wallaby is poised to become Australia’s most-capped player in the near future, currently trailing leader George Gregan by just 12 matches.
A “humbled” Slipper admitted captaincy was a huge honour and perhaps his greatest achievement, but said that didn’t matter compared to trying to win Australia’s first World Cup since 1999.
“It’s up there definitely, and my journey’s got plenty of ups and downs,” he said.
“The biggest thing out of today and moving forward is this group having an eye on what’s coming up.
“Individually I’m pumped but I’m more pumped for this team and what we can do.
“I’d like to say I’m humbled, extremely proud. It’s a big year, very exciting year for Australian rugby.
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“The group we’ve assembled is really excited.”
Jones said Slipper would be a 50-minute prop and would likely start with fellow Brumby Allan Alaalatoa, with injured duo Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou along with uncapped Queenslander Zane Nonggorr among the back-up options.
Nonggorr’s impressive Super Rugby Pacific campaign impressed Slipper, who’s confident the 22-year-old can do a job off the bench.
“He’s not an old boy, (but) the way he goes about his rugby at a young age is impressive and he’s got an upside,” Slipper said.
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“He’s not there to make up the numbers. He’s there to perform and that he will.
“It’s a game of attrition, some big bodies, a lot of intensity in the set piece and running.
“The beauty of rugby is you have a bench that can come on and make a difference in the game as well.
“Whether I’m on the bench or starting, wherever I sit, that’s what we expect.”
Phoned by Jones on Saturday night to be informed of his captaincy role, Slipper said he’d “nut out” a plan with Hooper over the next week, with the duo to lean on an extended leadership group for extra guidance.
The Wallabies’ first Rugby Championship match is against the Springboks in Pretoria on July 8.
