Hooper’s five-year deal sees him paid more than NZ counterparts
Waratahs and Wallabies loose forward Michael Hooper has recommitted to Rugby Australia with a five-year deal worth $6.7 million.
The contract will take Hooper, 26, through the next two Rugby World Cup cycles, ending after the 2023 season.
It is only the second five-year contract in Australian rugby history. Former Waratahs winger Lote Tuqiri signed on for five years in 2007 but had his contract torn up two years later after a code of conduct breach in Canberra.
News Corp reported the deal had been completed on Thursday night, after initial reports of the contract surfaced in April.
Hooper, who has played 82 tests for the Wallabies since making his debut in 2012, said the decision to remain in Australia was easy.
“I never really thought about going elsewhere or entertaining anything like that,” he said. “I was really keen to stay in Australia and keep doing what I can for the Wallabies and the
I never really thought about going elsewhere . . . I was really keen to stay in Australia. Wallaby Michael Hooper
Waratahs. It’s a long deal, so I have to thank [Wallabies coach Michael Cheika] and [Australian Rugby chief executive Raelene Castle] as well as the Waratahs for having the belief in me that I can continue to contribute.
“I love Australian rugby. I like heading down to Manly Oval to watch club footy in my time off. I obviously enjoy getting stuck in at Super Rugby level and then nothing compares to playing test rugby for your country.
“I’m not really into contracts and all that back and forward, so to know I’m sorted through the next World Cup is really comforting and just means I can throw everything into the Waratahs and Wallabies.”
Hooper joins fellow loose forward David Pocock and fullback Israel Folau as Wallabies to earn in excess of $1m per season. Pocock is believed to be earning $4.46m on a three-year deal, while Folau signed a flexible three-year contract in 2015 worth almost $2.23m a year.
Hooper’s contract will see him earn more than the top All Blacks. The 2016 collective agreement signed by New Zealand Rugby and the Players’ Association noted Kieran Read would be the highest paid All Black through to the 2019 World Cup, earning about $1m a year. Other top All Blacks were thought to earn around $800,000.
The Wallabies captain’s five-year contract rivals some of the biggest negotiated overseas.
Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny and former All Blacks No 12 Ma’a Nonu signed deals with French club Toulon worth about $885,000 a season, former Chiefs first-five Aaron Cruden linked up with Montpellier on a contract worth over $1m a season and Charles Piutau moved from Ulster to English club Wasps on a deal worth about $1.8m a season.