MELBOURNE : Michael Hooper will return to the Wallabies fold for the season-ending tour of Europe but will not take back the captaincy after missing most of the Rugby Championship for mental health reasons.
"To have Michael back in the group is massive for our team on and off the field and we'll continue to make sure that he has the support around him he needs," Australia coach Dave Rennie said in a statement on Sunday. Rennie recalled France-based lock Will Skelton and included lock Ned Hanigan in his first Wallabies squad since 2020 after he impressed in Japan for the Australia A side.Rennie is restricted to picking only three overseas-based players per tour or series as part of Rugby Australia's selection policy.There was also no place for veteran utility back Kurtley Beale or Fiji-born winger Suliasi Vunivalu.