YOUNG WALLABIES STAR JOINS EXETER CHIEFS WITH A VIEW OF ‘COMING BACK TO AUSTRALIA’ AFTER ‘ROUGHLY DOUBLING’ HIS SALARY
The Brumbies have confirmed that versatile forward Tom Hooper will leave the Super Rugby Pacific club after the 2025 season.
The 23-year-old is the latest Wallabies forward to confirm his departure from Australia in recent weeks following the news of Langi Gleeson’s move to French Top 14 club Montpellier.
Hooper will follow ex-Brumbies Nic White, Scott Sio and Tamati Tua in making the move to English Premiership club Exeter Chiefs.
Hooper leaves the Brumbies
It was reported on Monday that Hooper had signed a deal with Exeter who offered ‘roughly double’ what Rugby Australia and the Brumbies were able to put on the table with the governing body fighting wage inflation.
A product of the Brumbies Pathway program, the Bathurst-born back-rower moved to Canberra after graduating from High School and linked up with the Brumbies’ Super Rugby squads in 2021.
He would make his debut for the club against the Crusaders later that year and has since gone on to make 38 appearances for the Brumbies including 14 last season.
In 2023, Hooper made his breakthrough into the international arena as he debuted for the Wallabies under former head coach Eddie Jones and would go on to feature for the side at the Rugby World Cup.
However, he fell down the pecking order in 2024 under Joe Schmidt but did earn a recall to the senior squad after standout performances for Australia A during the tour to the UK.
Returning to Australia down the line
“My biggest focus this year is a short-term goal and that is winning Super Rugby Pacific with the ACT Brumbies,” Hooper said in a Brumbies statement.
“I want to send off my stint in Canberra in the best possible way and that’s by giving the fans exactly what they deserve, another Premiership. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that happens.”
He added: “Across my five seasons as a Brumby, the club and Canberra have become my home. Unfortunately, with the changing dynamic of rugby, sometimes you must fly the coup. That’s what I’m going to be doing next season.
“I’m going to leave the Brumbies and try my best to become a better player, with a view to coming back to Australia and becoming an older, more experienced player later down the track, whenever that may be.”
While Hooper has fallen out of favour with the Wallabies since Schmidt’s arrival, it is reported that Rugby Australia were keen to keep him on Australian shores this season and beyond.
However, it was not to be and Director of High Performance at Rugby Australia Peter Horne wished the flanker well ahead of his departure.
“Tom has been presented with a good opportunity to play overseas next season,” he said.
“Rugby Australia thanks him for his service to Australian rugby and wishes him all the best for the future.”
2025-01-14T07:33:20Z