How this Wallabies star is planning a ‘soft exit’
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper isn’t retiring – yet.
But Australia’s most capped Wallaby captain has injected his own money into wellness studio group Recoverie – a move he describes as a “soft exit” from the game he has played and loved for more than a decade.
He will act as an ambassador for the business – started by former Brumbies captain Steven Hoiles and his school friend Nick Bardetta – before taking on a formal position when he formally retires.
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper is paving the way for a future beyond rugby. Dominic Lorrimer
“This is really exciting for me – being a part of something that’s really in start-up phase, something that’s moving fast. This is a soft exit … with guys that I know and believe in to upskill myself in a big way,” Hooper says.
“The idea of being right back at the start, it’s uncomfortable, but you also get your best growth in those years.”
Hooper would’ve loved to have completed a university degree – it’s something his mum wanted, after all. But that’s not the reality for the 31-year-old, who went straight from his school in Sydney’s north, St Pius X College, to the Canberra Brumbies.
He did try to get a degree in marketing – but after attempts at three universities, he deferred for good. “The issue with uni was I had assessments coming up, and then you get picked to go for a flight to South Africa and play in South Africa,” he says. “What’s going to win out there?”
Hooper’s transition to the business world is a path well-trodden by professional athletes. Former Wallabies captains John Eales and Phil Waugh ended up in banking, while George Gregan started his own hospitality group.
Michael Hooper in action against Wales in 2018. AP
Others – such as Nate Myles or England rugby
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