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Michael Hooper has become the third youngest Wallabies captain of all time after being appointed to replace injured hooker Stephen Moore.
Rising prop James Slipper has been elevated to the vice-captaincy as coach Ewen McKenzie takes a youth policy to leadership.
Not since centre great Trevor Allan became a 21-year-old skipper in 1947 has an Australian Test rugby team been led by a younger player.
At 22 years and 223 days, Hooper is two years older than the Wallabies' youngest captain of all time, Jimmy Flynn, who was a mere 20 when he led the 1914 Wallabies in just his second and last Test.
The reigning John Eales Medallist is a year younger than Mark Ella (1982) and Will Genia (2011), who had short stints as captain in more recent times.
Hooper takes over from injured hooker Stephen Moore who is having a knee reconstruction after rupturing anterior and medial cruciate ligaments in the 50-23 first Test thumping of France on Saturday night.
The Waratahs flanker took over and led the Wallabies for the last 75 minutes of the first Test at Lang Park, scoring a try and playing superbly in both attack and defence.
McKenzie said he admired Hooper's lead-from-the-front style of captaincy, saying it did not affect his game at all on Saturday night.
"It's a massive honour to captain your country and I'm confident Michael has all the right leadership qualities to lead this team moving forward," he said.
"He'll undoubtedly bring his own unique personality to the way things are done but we wouldn't have recognised him in a leadership capacity (as vice-captain) at the beginning of this series if we didn't think he had to the ability to step into this role.
"I couldn't have been more impressed with his performance on the weekend after Stephen went down, so we know the added responsibility won't impact the high-level of play we all expect from him each week."
Slipper, who turned 25 on Friday, on the eve of his 50th Test cap, joins Adam Ashley-Cooper, 30, as the team's two vice-captains.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-0...?section=sport
Be interesting when/if Pocock comes back and lays claim to the No. 7 jersey again next year.
I think that's why Link never made him Hooper Captain Alison. If Pocock comes back & starts playing the house down it could become a selection problem for him. Same problem Gatland had with Wales between Warburton & Tipuric.
Sometimes as much as you don't want anyone injured, they can have an obscure positive. Would Hodgo have had the season he has had if Alcock had been fit?
Great game, Fucken battled right through to the 80!
Good point. One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity.
Has Hooper been made captain just for the remainder of this year, or is it open ended?
Surely until Moore is fit?
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The problem the Wallabies have at the moment is that neither Steven Moore, Michael Hooper nor Adam Ashley-Cooper represent a 1st choice captain.
Seems that the cabinet is bare for a Captain.
Tough gig for Hooper at his age when he has limited leadership experience.
Ideally the Wallaby Captain should be the Captain - or at least part of the leadership group - of one of the 5 Aussie franchises.
It was very embarrassing to watch Hooper at the post-match presser as he just wasn't engaged in the process and was distracted by everything and anything.
It was even more of concern that Hooper went missing from most breakdowns (didn't get a single turn-over) and was mostly seagulling out wide - where he scored his try.
Call me old fashioned but I'd rather see the Wallaby OSF playing a more traditional roll rather than playing as another utility back.
Palu could be a casulty also great for Benny Mac
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...-palu-problem/
If we have Pek and Cheez on the bench as well, I will be stoked! May even book a last minute flight to Melbourne!! Anyone else going to the 2nd test?
Palu is such a liability
Saw in the press yesterday (can't remember where) that the HB may lose his spot when 'others' become available later in the season. Who could they mean? Speight??