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SYDNEY — Long-time Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is shifting his focus to rugby sevens from the 15-a-side game with a plan to play for Australia at next year's Paris Olympics. The 32-year-old Hooper was contentiously omitted by coach Eddie Jones from Australia's ill-fated Rugby World Cup squad. Hooper says he has signed up to play in the newly-revamped global sevens series in the build-up to the 2024 Games. A four-time winner of the John Eales Medal as Australian rugby's player of the year, the 125-time capped Hooper will join the sevens program fulltime in January. He hopes to play his first tournament at the inaugural Perth, Western Australia sevens event. The veteran flanker led Australia's national team in a record 69 tests.
