Michael Hooper will get his first taste of sevens action in Hong Kong this weekend, with Bryan Habana backing the former Wallabies captain to succeed where he struggled.
Hooper has been included in Australia’s squad for the Hong Kong Sevens, with an eye to playing in the Paris Olympics.
The loose forward follows on the heels of Antoine Dupont, with the scrumhalf making an immediate impact by helping win their first Sevens Series tournament title in 19 years in Los Angeles last month.
Shifting between the codes is not unusual, with the likes of Kwagga Smith, Cheslin Kolbe and Stormers stalwarts Ruhan Nel and Seabelo Senatla regularly switching at a time in their careers, before focusing exclusively on fifteens.
Former Springbok wing Habana had two stints with the Blitzboks – in 2004 and 2016 – but didn’t crack the nod for South Africa’s Olympic Games squad.
“The professionalism, the speed, and the skill set of the current sevens athlete is phenomenal, and many 15s players struggle with the transition – the anaerobic and aerobic effort over three days is absolutely brutal,” Habana told the South China Morning Post.
“Hoops has one of the most incredible work rates I have seen from anyone over the past 15 or 20 years.
“His leadership qualities, his ability to communicate with teammates, and officials, and what he has already achieved on the biggest stages, stand him in very good stead [to succeed in sevens].
“I played against him a number of times, and was gutted he did not make the World Cup squad. I think a player of his ability, and with his leadership skill set, would have been integral to Australia achieving a different outcome.
“I have tried to share my experience [of the sevens switch] with him, but it comes down to him putting what he wants onto the field.
“I am extremely excited about his ability to have an impact, and I think he is really well suited to making the transition.”
Photo: Steven Markham/Getty Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
