Hooper 'excited' about return to rugby with Japan move

Ex-Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper said on Monday he was "excited" about coming out of retirement to play for a Japanese team under former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.

Toyota Verblitz said it had signed Hooper, who captained the Wallabies a record 69 times and retired from rugby in June, for the remainder of the season.

The 33-year-old played the last of his 125 tests for Australia in 2023 before being axed by then-coach Eddie Jones ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

He’s back! Toyota has officially announced the return of Michael Hooper

“I’m very thankful to Toyota & Steve for the opportunity to come & play at a club I have such great memories of. I’m very excited to contribute to a great team & looking forward to arriving soon”#rugbyjp pic.twitter.com/LgquU5vbEV

— 🇯🇵 RugbyJP.com (@rugbyjpcom) January 20, 2025

"I'm very thankful to Toyota and Steve for the opportunity to come and play at a club I have such great memories of," said Hooper in a statement from the team, for whom he played in 2021.

"I'm very excited to contribute to a great team and looking forward to arriving soon," he said.

Hooper returns to the game after a brief stint as a commentator and having missed out on Rugby Sevens selection for the Paris Olympics.

Hansen called on Hooper after Springboks legend Pieter-Steph du Toit was sidelined by injury.

Verblitz's general manager Akitomo Goto said he hoped Hooper's presence would inspire young Japanese talent.

"This time we are looking forward not only to his on-field performances but also to his role in helping develop the young players who will represent Japan in the near future," Goto said.

"We expect him to demonstrate his professionalism and leadership on and off the field."

The regular season ends in May.