‘Both parties are interested’: Michael Hooper opens up on potential sevens switch

It’s looking more and more likely that Michael Hooper will pursue his Olympic dream, with the former Wallabies captain revealing that Rugby Australia is “taking my calls.”

News broke earlier this week that the Test centurion was set to sign a one-year deal with the Australian Sevens programme with the goal of making the team for Paris 2024.

According to Aussie scribe Iain Payten from the Sydney Morning Herald, the 31-year-old is set to switch rugby codes after missing out on Eddie Jones’ 33-man squad for the Rugby World Cup.

Hooper has since confirmed that “these discussions are happening” and that “both parties are interested” in the world-renowed flanker joining the Australian sevens squad.

“Sevens is still an ongoing discussion,” Hooper told Wide World of Sports. “The idea of an Olympics is just really a new challenge and exciting challenge.

“Aside from this calf, this season, I felt really fit, really healthy through my Waratahs season this year, body felt really good.

“So the nervousness around sevens is usually what type of load does that take? But I think that from my understanding, the physical load in terms of contact is going to go down.

“Certainly the running and the repeat speed stuff will increase and I’m okay with that. I don’t mind that sort of stuff.

“That’s certainly a really big consideration for myself and then also some business opportunities, and even stuff that opens up now, not being involved in the World Cup at this time.”

Hooper has hinted at a move to rugby sevens before, but it always seemed like a hypothetical decision to be made in the future. But after missing out on the Wallabies’ World Cup squad, Hooper has made some calls.

The dropped Wallaby would be expected to suit up in green and gold on the SVNS World Series before the Olympics, potentially including the event in Perth from 26-28 of January.