Australia's Michael Hooper Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Flanker Michael Hooper has announced his retirement from international rugby, a month after he was dropped from Australia's rugby sevens squad while dealing with an injury.
The former Australian captain had made two appearances for the national sevens team this year in a bid to play in the Paris Olympics.
"What a ride! My Olympic journey has come to an end, and with it, my Australian Rugby career," Hooper, 32, wrote on Instagram.
"To the Aussie Sevens team, I wish you all the best you've been an awesome, helpful, and talented group of athletes to be part of," Hooper said.
"As for my time in Australian Rugby, I'm grateful to my family and friends for their unwavering support throughout. We've shared an incredible journey, filled with unforgettable experiences, challenges, and memories. Thank you."
Hooper had an 11-year spell with the Wallabies, playing 125 tests including a record 69 matches as captain. He was part of the Australia team that won the Rugby Championship and reached the World Cup final in 2015.
Known for his resilience and robustness, Hooper missed just six Tests, two of which he was left as an unused replacement, in his first six seasons of Test Rugby.
In 2020, the openside flanker became just the twelfth Wallaby to play 100 Tests and notably, had it not been for COVID-19, Hooper - who had been stuck on 99 caps for almost a whole year - would have become both the youngest and quickest Wallaby to become a Test centurion.
A year later he broke George Gregan's record for the most appearances as Wallabies captain when he led the side out for the 60th time in the 30-18 victory over South Africa in Brisbane.
Individually, Hooper became the first player to win four John Eales Medals, a player-voted award for the Wallaby of the year, earning the accolade in 2013, 2016, 2020 and 2021 and sits fourth on the all-time Wallabies appearance list with 125 Tests to his name.
Twice nominated for the World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year, Hooper represented the Wallabies at two Rugby World Cups and made the transition to the Australian Sevens at the end of 2023, making his debut in Hong Kong during the 2023-24 World Series.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said Hooper had been an incredible player and ambassador for the sport.
"He leaves a legacy that will remember him as one of the greatest to wear the Wallaby gold and a favourite among Australian supporters.
"Michael's incredibly well respected here and around the world, and on behalf of Rugby Australia, I want to wish him and his family all the best for the future," Waugh said.