Oz skipper Hooper fit to face the All Blacks

MELBOURNE: Australia captain Michael Hooper has been cleared for Saturday’s opening Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Flanker Hooper was named in a 28-man squad released by Wallabies coach Michael Cheika yesterday, with prop Scott Sio and winger Dane Haylett-Petty also given the green light for the Sydney match after respective shoulder and knee injuries.

The squad, trimmed down from 36, includes only two uncapped players in outside backs Tom Banks and Jack Maddocks.

Folau Faingaa, Jermaine Ainsley, Rory Arnold, Caleb Timu, Billy Meakes, Curtis Rona, Jordan Petaia and Sefa Naivalu were cut from the preliminary training squad.

With Rona omitted, utility back Reece Hodge is likely to start in the outside centre position vacated by injured duo Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani.

Israel Folau, who has played outside centre for the Waratahs, is another candidate for the starting 13 jersey but Cheika has said he would prefer the explosive dual international to stay in his usual fullback position.

Injuries aside, Cheika suggested he had all but settled on a squad for the tournament and beyond, with the World Cup in Japan little more than a year away.

“We’ll have some extra players in there on Monday and Tuesday, so we can get our training done and then I just think that I want to have a bit more focus on the group that’s going to play the (All Blacks) game,” he said in a media release. – Reuters