3 minute read

Incumbent Michael Hooper is no certainty to captain the Wallabies in their next test, with new coach Dave Rennie insisting it isn't yet on his agenda.

Just who captains the Wallabies won't be a priority until Dave Rennie picks his first team, with the new coach unwilling to lock incumbent Michael Hooper into the job.

Rennie will officially begin his role on July 1, but is still quarantining in his native New Zealand and won't arrive in the country until later this month.

The former Chiefs and Glasgow coach has kept a close eye on the Australian scene, nominating a players of interest squad after the early Super Rugby rounds and maintaining close contact.

Wallabies skipper for almost half of his 99 Tests, 28-year-old Hooper indicated he hoped to retain that role when he gave up the NSW Waratahs captaincy at the start of the year.

He's been on speed dial with Rennie but the new coach says the leadership hasn't been discussed.

"All we've talked about is earning the right to play," Rennie said on Monday.

"It's about playing well enough to win the jersey, then we'll sort out who the captain will be.

"(Not captaining the Waratahs this year) has been good for his game, I think he's played really well.

"And he's still leading .. he's a strong contender for captain but we'll just go on working on what the team is then sort out a captain."

The five-team Super Rugby AU competition featuring the Western Force will begin on July 3.

Rennie hopes some form of Rugby Championship will go ahead later this year but said a four-Test series against New Zealand was the only option that appeared bankable at this stage.

"What we know is that we should get to play the All Blacks a number of times, if nothing else," he said.

"That's a great introduction for us... a really good gauge for where we need to be.

"We are seventh in the world, we need to be better than that."