Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper will make his League One return for Toyota Verblitz on Saturday after being named in their starting line-up to face Kobe Steelers at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka.
Hooper, 33, rejoined the club in January on a short-term deal until the end of the season to ease their back-row injury crisis with World Player of The Year Pieter-Steph du Toit out for the season and captain Kazuki Himeno also currently sidelined.
The former Waratahs star will play in his first top-level 15s game since playing for the Wallabies in 2023 before he was axed from his country’s World Cup squad.
Hooper made a try-scoring return to action in a reserve match for Toyota last week (below) and comes into their underperforming team at openside-flanker to face his former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s Kobe side.
Hooper, who was sporting a black eye, told the media at a press conference on Thursday: “I really wanted the opportunity to come back to Japan and play and particularly for Toyota.”
The 2014 Super Rugby winner spent a year with the Aichi-based club during the final Top League (precursor to League One) season in 2021, making 10 appearances and scoring two tries.
“I really enjoyed my team here at Toyota four years ago.
“Ironically my last game here was at Hanazono against Rikiya (Matsuda) whose now our number 10 and I really wanted the opportunity to come back to Japan and play and particularly for Toyota.
“Being able to bring my family over and to play with really good players and great coaches was a great opportunity for me to take.”
Despite boasting one of the deepest and most talent-laden squads in the competition and having World Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen and fellow ex-All Blacks head coach Ian Foster at the helm, Toyota has had a torrid start to the season.
The 2007 All-Japan Championship runners-up have won only one game with six defeats and a draw cementing them as relegation candidates rather than play-off hopefuls.
However, this season’s play-offs format has been expanded from the top four to the top six sides and 10th-placed Toyota (out of 12 teams) are eight points behind their opponents Kobe who occupy sixth position.
Hooper starts alongside former Scottish lock Richie Gray, Japanese internationals Rikiya Matsuda, Siosaia Fifita and Nicholas McCurran and NRL convert Joseph Manu. All Blacks legend Aaron Smith is among the replacements.
“We’re in a tough spot in our season,” said Hooper.
“There are still 10 games left in the regular season so a lot of opportunities.”
Hooper shared what he believes he can offer on Saturday and how the team can turn their fortunes around.
“In terms of what I want to bring this weekend, I can bring good energy, I can bring a lot of enjoyment to the game and do my role really well. When the team has done well this year, it’s been when we’ve all done our role and we’ve played some really good rugby at times through the season just not for back-to-back games.
“We’re a good team we just need to stick to the process.”
Picture courtesy of Toyota Verblitz
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