Players ‘sick’ of state of Aussie rugby – Hooper

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper says he owes Michael Cheika a huge debt of gratitude for the way he helped his rugby career but admits a new era of success is badly needed.

Hooper addressed the media shortly after landing in Sydney on his return from Australia’s illfated World Cup campaign in Japan, which ended with a heavy quarterfinal loss to England.

Cheika quit his post the following day but Hooper didn’t say a bad word about the man who made him captain of both the Waratahs and Wallabies.

‘‘Cheik’s been amazing. I owe that man a lot,’’ Hooper said.

‘‘The passion that he represented us for, he stood up for us all the time and genuinely wanted the best for Australian rugby.

‘‘Not just for him, not just for the team, selfishly, being the coach of the team – he just wanted the best for Australian rugby after he’s long gone.

‘‘He wanted to leave something positive and he will, certainly with me.

‘‘[But] we want Australian rugby to be strong and be great and we haven’t been able to do that unfortunately.

‘‘There is a lot of young, talented guys and very hungry guys who want to be part of that change that has to be made and that’s exciting.

‘‘Guys are sick of where it’s at.’’

Question marks about Hooper’s time as captain have also emerged in the aftermath of the Wallabies’ disastrous World Cup campaign.

‘‘Captaincy for me has always been a privilege that is given,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s not something I have ever tried to knife other people to go and get or anything like that.

‘‘It’s a privilege that is given to you and you do your best in that role. That is all I ever tried to do. If that continues, so be it.’’

Hooper also said Wallabies players had been shielded from

Michael Hooper on Michael Cheika

‘‘Cheik’s been amazing. I owe that man a lot.’’

the running feud between Cheika, Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle and RA chairman Cameron Clyne.

‘‘I know that relationships aren’t always straightforward,’’ Hooper said. ‘‘But whatever they did, they kept it pretty well hidden from us players.

‘‘I think that’s a pretty good credit to keep it away from us. We have a job to do and they didn’t put it in front of our face.’’

But he was less inclined to discuss the comments of former Wallabies team-mate Quade Cooper.

Cooper took aim at Cheika after news broke he would not continue as coach beyond 2019, saying he should have pulled the pin ‘‘a while ago’’ if he did genuinely care about the state of Australian rugby.

‘‘I’m not giving them any air, mate,’’ Hooper said.

Cooper’s schoolboy team-mate David Pocock said he was disappointed to hear the mercurial No 10 weigh in on the situation.

‘‘As players I think we always find it disappointing when people on the outside are taking pot shots,’’ Pocock said.