Australia have reportedly been dealt another blow to their back-row stocks with Tom Hooper set to join a Premiership club.
This comes after Langi Gleeson, who was a regular for Schmidt in 2024, gave his ‘agreement’ to join French club Montpellier after the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Wallabies‘ head coach responded brutally by ‘uninviting’ Gleeson from the first training camp of the year as he continues to look ahead to the future of Australian Rugby and reward those who have decided to remain Down Under instead of heading abroad.
While Schmidt’s future is still up in the air beyond this year the former Ireland boss is clearly looking to set the side up well for the next World Cup, but looks set to lose another rising star along the way.
Tom Hooper to leave Australia
According to a report by ROAR Sports, Brumbies forward Hooper will join Premiership club Exeter Chiefs following the conclusion of the 2025 Super Rugby season.
The flanker was a breakout star for the Wallabies in 2023, earning his Test debut under Eddie Jones, and would go on to be one of the few standout performers for the team at the tournament in France.
Hooper struggled to cement a place in Schmidt’s team last year but forced his way into the squad for the November internationals with his form for Australia A in the United Kingdom.
He, like Gleeson, was not present at the Wallabies’ training camp last week after signing a deal to head north, joining French club Montpellier.
According to the report, Exeter Chiefs – who are threatened by possible relegation and are currently up for sale – offered ‘roughly double’ what Rugby Australia were able to put on the table to retain the back-rower’s services.
It adds that while Schmidt doesn’t view him as an out-and-out starter for the Wallabies, Rugby Australia were still keen on keeping him on Australian shores, but the governing body are also trying to reverse wage inflation.
The 23-year-old is a sharp signing for Exeter regardless with the abrasive forward fitting Baxter’s style of loose forward akin to that of club legends Dave Ewers and Jacques Vermeulen.
The news of Hooper’s signing will also come as music to Exeter fans’ ears after the Chiefs were hammered 17-69 at home by French powerhouse Bordeaux.
Exeter have really struggled this season, winning just one of their 10 Premiership matches which sees them sit in ninth place just two points ahead of bottom-of-the-log Newcastle.
They have not fared any better in the Champions Cup falling to defeats at the hands of the Sharks, Toulouse and now Bordeaux.
Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter admits ‘reality’ of mounting pressure following record loss
Nic White’s return?
Last October, Exeter boss Baxter also downplayed rumours of Wallabies veteran Nic White’s possible return to the Premiership club that also has fellow countryman Scott Sio on their books.
“It’s no different to other rumours you hear,” he said.
“We know we have to bring in some experience at some stage; but to be honest where the Nic White rumours have come from I don’t really know myself!”
He added: “I’m actually in fairly regular contact with Nic myself fairly regularly, he’s a very good ex-player here and we’ve stayed in touch ever since he left.
“If he was to turn around tomorrow and say ‘I’m about to parachute into Sandy Park tomorrow, can I have a game of rugby?’ I’d probably say yes, but that’s about as far as that rumour goes.”
READ MORE: Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter addresses talk of shock return of Wallaby star
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/premiership-club-offers-roughly-double-to-wallabies-rising-star-hooper-in-another-blow-to-joe-schmidts-playing-stocks
