Hooper back with Wallabies after mental health break

Australia flanker Michael Hooper is ready to resume the rigours of test rugby after quitting the team earlier this year in Argentina saying he was not in the “right mindset” to lead his country.

Hooper held his first news conference since his shock departure in August before the start of the Rugby Championship against Argentina in Mendoza, explaining that he needed time with his family.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

“As a younger man I viewed asking for help as a bit of a weakness. You want to feel like you have it all worked out and I certainly didn’t,” Hooper said, as he thanked his wife Kate for unwavering support and said he struggled to balance the demands of being a new father with travelling with the Wallabies.

“I’ve been playing the game for a long time, had some great changes in my life happen this year and there were a lot of things running through my head showing up in Argentina, and Argentina wasn’t the place where I needed to sort these things out,” he said.

“I wanted to be around family. I wanted to be in a place where I could put the time into those things that I needed to put in. That doesn’t mean that I’m sitting here now completely cured. It’s not like that at all. At that point in time I needed to be somewhere else. That wasn’t Argentina.

“I know that’s quite vague but, yeah, I’m still getting my head around it. It’s not that long ago.”

Hooper, who has played 121 times for the Wallabies, missed all six matches of the Rugby Championship but was restored to the squad for five tests in Europe over the next few weeks, although James Slipper continues as captain

“I’m excited to be back,” Hooper added at Australia’s training camp in France.

“I’m realistic that there’s going to be some really good days and some days with the realities of travel and rugby and stuff will be difficult. It’s part of the journey and doing what we do is that whole rollercoaster.Gǥ

Hooper is expected to make his comeback against Scotland at Murrayfield on October 29th.

Australia then face France, Italy, Ireland and Wales on consecutive Saturdays in a busy tour.

-Reuters