Rugby Union: Michael Hooper and James Slipper named Australia co-captains
- Published
Michael Hooper (right) holds the record for the most Tests as Australia captain
Australia head coach Eddie Jones has named Michael Hooper and James Slipper as the Wallabies' first co-captains.
Flanker Hooper has captained Australia on 68 occasions and returns to the role less than a year after he withdrew from the squad saying he was not in the right "mindset" to play.
Prop Slipper replaced him as skipper and has led the side 12 times.
Jones said he had taken inspiration for co-captains from the Sydney Swans Australian rules football team.
"They've got a tradition of co-captaincy and I just wanted to delve down into the area of the advantages and disadvantages," said former England head coach Jones, who replaced Dave Rennie in January.
"I think with Slips and Hoops, we cover the range of the squad. Both have a slightly different approach to leadership, both have got a slightly different approach to the way they play the game, and I think together they can be a really strong captaincy group."
Jones has named a 34-strong squad for the Rugby Championship, with fly-half Bernard Foley the most notable omission despite earning a recall to the Wallabies squad last season, three years after his last Test appearance.
Hooker Matt Faessler, prop Zane Nonggorr and flanker Josh Kemeny are among eight uncapped players named in the squad.
"It's probably one of the hardest squads I've had to select," said Jones, who previously coached Australia from 2001 to 2005.
"The back row was tight, standoff was tight, halfback was tight. So there were a few sleepless nights.
"We know that in the Rugby Championship and in the World Cup, we'll have at least a 20% injury rate so there'll be opportunities for players who missed out."
The Rugby Championship, a tournament contested annually by Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa, starts on 8 July.
The Rugby World Cup takes place from 8 September-28 October in France.