Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has ruled out the possibility of playing in the 2027 Rugby Union World Cup despite the fact it will be played in Australia.
The Wallabies are priced at 12/1 to win the 2023 World Cup with Hooper set to star, but the one after will be a bridge too far for him he concedes.
Watching from the stands
Australia will host the World Cup for the first time since 2003 and although he would love to be there, Hooper doubts the body will hold out.
He has already appeared in 117 Tests for the Wallabies and expects to be watching the 2027 global showpiece from the stands.
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"I will be in the stands with a beer in hand. Very much so," he said. "How good will that be, to be a part of rugby and to experience it on the other side of the fence. I'd hope there's a (number) seven that's pushing me well out of it by that point."
Hooper is still just 30, but the rigours of professional rugby over a long period of time do have a huge impact on the body.
France swansong
The 2023 World Cup is definitely on the cards and Hooper admits the tournament in France could be his swansong.
"You never say never and that's what a lot of athletes say," Hooper added. "But I've got this 18-month period and the Tuesdays get harder and harder and it's like how much you are willing to take for the rewards, which is we get to do what you love.
"But, in saying that, it's a slog at times and it gets harder when you've played and maybe before the next game your body is still sore. So you've just got to try to work that stuff out."
