Wallabies skipper ready for Scotland

Whether he's captain or not, flanker Michael Hooper says the Wallabies must be ready for Scotland after some close calls against the under-rated tourists.

Australian rugby union player Michael Hooper

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper has a very personal reason not to take Scotland lightly. (AAP)

Wallabies leader Michael Hooper has a very personal reason not to take Scotland lightly in Saturday's Test showdown in Sydney.

"My debut was against these guys and we lost, back in 2012," Hooper told AAP as he prepares for his 67th Test.

"So there's never any complacency. I understand the threats they have across the field; their set piece and their ability to throw the ball.

"They showed that against the Italians last week. They scored some really good tries, long-range, exciting tries.

"We're expecting anything. They're out here on a tour and being on the other side for once and they're out here to play some rugby."

Hooper's debut five years ago was a forgettable winter's night in foul weather, in Newcastle, where the Scots kicked their way to a famous 9-6 triumph - their first over the Wallabies in Australia since 1982.

The 25-year-old has since developed into one of the world's premier openside flankers - and Wallabies captain.

But he's also well aware that the Scots have also developed into a world rugby force.

Now ranked fifth behind only world champions New Zealand, Eddie Jones' England, Australia and Ireland, Scotland enjoyed a fine Six Nations campaign and have arrived ready to claim a big southern hemisphere scalp.

Open to a co-captaincy role with World Cup skipper Stephen Moore - who started on the bench last Saturday against Fiji - Hooper says Scotland's transformation from dour to dazzling has been most impressive.

"With Finn Russell at 10, a guy like him, a really exciting player with ball in hand, anything can happen," he said.

"He's got a really nice step, a good kicking game. I've been really impressed with watching some reviews of him, and he controls a lot of that play and does it really well."

Hooper branded Saturday's showdown at Allianz Stadium as "hugely important" as the Wallabies look to build momentum and win back disillusioned fans ahead of the Rugby Championship.

Australian rugby has taken a battering in 2017 as the ARU dilly dallies around its decision on which team to cut from Super Rugby, with the Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Western Force and Melbourne Rebels losing all 21 games so far to New Zealand provincial opposition.

Hooper insists the Wallabies as a collective have left the negativity behind, but he's conscious of the need for a vibrant showing against Scotland after a paltry crowd of 13,583 turned out in Melbourne for the year's first Test.

"We want our fans to be proud of us as a team and us as a Wallaby club," he said.

"It's hugely important. Momentum is such a factor in rugby. You see it in Super Rugby, you see it at Test level, so we understand the importance of this Test series."


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Source: AAP


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