Hooper heading to Japan in 2021
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is set to move to Japan next year in a deal that will leave the Waratahs without their biggest star.
Hooper is joining Top League club Toyota Verblitz, where he will link up with former Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron and former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, in a 'sabbatical' style deal struck with the approval of NSW Rugby and Rugby Australia.
Michael Hooper will play in Japan.Credit:Getty Images
He will not play for the Waratahs next year but will be available for Test duties as the Top League season is set to run parallel with Super Rugby, a source told the Herald.
Hooper is in the middle of a five-year, $1.2 million a year deal with Australian rugby but appears to have triggered an agreement reached as part of the recent emergency pay deal allowing a select group to chase overseas deals as a way to recoup lost earnings during the COVID-19 crisis.
Matt Toomua, Tevita Kuridrani and Dane Haylett-Petty are also eligible to broker the short-term arrangements but Hooper is the first to have locked one in.
Meanwhile, the Waratahs will turn to former Eels second-rower Tepai Moeroa to help save their season despite him playing just nine minutes of rugby this season.
NSW coach Rob Penney is expected to announce Moeroa as a shock choice at inside-centre for the Waratahs' season-defining clash with Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
Tepai Moeroa will be a shock unveiling at No.12 as the Waratahs battle to keep their finals hopes alive against the Rebels. Credit:Julius Dimataga
Moeroa will fill in for veteran dual-code star Karmichael Hunt, who has failed to recover from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of last week's dismal loss to the Brumbies.
But rather than hand another chance to Hunt's replacement in that game, Lalakai Foketi, Penney looks set to turn to the former NRL player in the search for some midfield abrasiveness.
Foketi will drop out of the match-day 23 and Hugh Sinclair will be named on the bench. Penney's only other likely change will be welcoming back promising Junior Wallabies back-rower Will Harris. He will be named on the bench after recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Penney will face questions from fans for starting Moeroa, given the 24-year-old has not featured since a 71st-minute appearance in round one.
The Cook Islands-born, Sydney-raised centre was a hyped signing from the NRL at the end of last year, having played representative rugby with the Australian Schools before a six-year stint and 112 appearances with the Eels.
He failed to make an impression after a debut against the Blues in February and has been restricted to one appearance off the bench this season.
But with Hunt's absence keenly felt in Canberra last week, the NSW coaches believe Moeroa's 190cm, 112kg frame could help the Waratahs get over the advantage line against the Rebels.
It will be a season-ending or finals-making clash for both sides, and Melbourne have bragging rights heading into the match after out-enthusing and overpowering the hosts in the team's previous encounter in round four.
It was a low point of the Waratahs' season but proved the catalyst for a brief purple patch after a bye week.
But Hunt's absence was telling last week, the Brumbies putting on a four-try second-half carve-up in Canberra to leave the Waratahs in sudden-death territory.
The Rebels have just as much to lose and will be relying on their pack and game managers to deliver again against NSW.
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