Chiefs make big statement with Hooper set to join the Devon club

Exeter Chiefs have signalled a serious intent to turn things around next season by signing the exciting Wallaby back row, Tom Hooper.

An emerging firepower in the Wallabies set-up, Hooper has made 10 appearances for his country and 38 for ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby. Still to conclude the domestic season with ACT Brumbies, Hooper is keen to go out on a high with his current club.

“Across my five seasons as a Brumby, the club and Canberra have become my home,” Hooper said. “Unfortunately, with the changing dynamic of rugby, sometimes you must fly the coop. That’s what I’m going to be doing next year.

“I’m going to leave the Brumbies and try my best to become a better player, with a view to coming back to Australia and becoming an older, more experienced player later down the track, whenever that may be.”

The 23-year-old will join the esteemed company of Scott Sio and Tamati Tua in becoming a former Brumby pulling on Exeter Chiefs colours.

The Sydney-born player made his Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders in 2021 before gaining the attention of the Australian coaches’ interest in 2022 with some confident and physical performances for an injury-struck Brumbies squad. 

Eddie Jones eventually gave the combative forward his test debut in The Rugby Championship in 2023, just months before being named in the Wallabies 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.

An exciting prospect still with years of development and experience ahead of him, Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter is excited to have secured the services of the Australian and looks forward to watching him settle into the Chiefs scrum next year.

“We’re delighted to have signed Tom. A young international who is a big, abrasive back-five forward, we see him having the opportunity to play across our back row but cover second row as well.

“He’s got a lot of the attributes that are really important in Premiership rugby – high work-rate along with good physical size and good physical abilities. He’s also an interesting character and someone we’re excited to bring to the club to grow the team we want to put together going forward.

“Alongside our other young back five forwards, such as Dafydd Jenkins, Rusi Tuima, Greg Fisilau and Ethan Roots – the back five has the ability to be a really strong group that can build over a number of years.

“We’d like to see that all develop into becoming what I’d like to see as a dominant back five to the scrum in the coming seasons.”