Hooper dropped from Wallabies squad to return early and boost Exeter Chiefs

Tom Hooper will return to Exeter Chiefs ahead of schedule after being omitted from Australia’s squad for their two-Test series against New Zealand, with head coach Rob Baxter confirming the flanker could feature against Newcastle Red Bulls at Sandy Park on Sunday.

Hooper, 25, played in the Wallabies’ 42-38 victory over the Springboks in Perth but has been replaced in Les Kiss’s squad by uncapped utility forward Toby Macpherson for the All Blacks fixtures. The decision follows a structured agreement between Exeter, Rugby Australia, and Premiership Rugby over how to manage Hooper’s workload after he reached the 30-game limit for dual-registered players.

Baxter explained that the upcoming Tests fall outside the Regulation 9 window, triggering the pre-arranged rest period. “The reason Tom has been stood down is that these next games are outside the Regulation 9 window,” Baxter said. “Our agreement on Tom’s rest was that he would then have a break now after the last international, come back and be available for us, and then return to Australia in November.”

Hooper had been sidelined slightly longer than initially planned after picking up a minor shoulder injury during the international window, which extended his rest period. Baxter was keen to credit all parties for their handling of the arrangement. “I have to say Australia have been fantastic in terms of where they were prepared to give Tom some rest periods,” he said. “I think everyone has been very, very good with the process, including Tom.”

The flanker will miss Exeter’s Premiership trip to face Bath at the Rec tomorrow night but is expected to be fit and available when the Red Bulls visit Sandy Park the following weekend. Baxter added that Hooper will return to Australia in November before being given an extended break during the Six Nations period — effectively shifting his pre-season to a different point in the calendar.

Hooper was a key figure in Exeter’s run to the Gallagher Premiership Final last season, and his return will be a significant boost for a Chiefs side looking to build momentum in the early weeks of the new campaign.