Australia offer Hooper five-year deal

Rugby Australia (RA) has offered Wallabies captain Michael Hooper an unprecedented five-year contract in a bid to secure him through to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, reports said yesterday.

In a move interpreted as Hooper replacing Israel Folau as the face of Australian rugby, the reports say RA has offered the 26-yearold flanker its longest-ever deal. A RA spokesman said: “We don’t comment on contract negotiations.”

Hooper is out of contract at the end of this year.