Aussie young talent 'ready to fly the coop' to Exeter

Exeter Chiefs have made a powerful start to their 2025/26 recruitment with the signing of Wallabies back row, Tom Hooper. Recognised as one of Australia’s emerging rugby stars, the 23-year-old has already made 10 appearances for the Wallabies and 38 for his Super Rugby side, ACT Brumbies.

Although Hooper still has a season to complete with the Brumbies, he is excited about his future in the Premiership. "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."

The Sydney-born forward is looking forward to developing further in England and returning to Australia later in his career as a more seasoned player. His departure from the Brumbies follows a strong rise in the Australian rugby scene, having made his Super Rugby debut in 2021 and earned a call-up to the Wallabies squad in 2022.

Hooper's hard-hitting performances for an injury-depleted Brumbies squad caught the attention of then-Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, and despite suffering an injury, Hooper’s prospects grew brighter. His test debut came under Eddie Jones in July 2023, followed by his selection for the Wallabies 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.

Hooper’s signing adds to the Chiefs’ growing list of dynamic forwards, joining fellow former Brumbies, Scott Sio and Tamati Tua, at Exeter.

Director of Rugby Rob Baxter expressed his excitement about the signing, highlighting Hooper's physicality, work-rate, and versatility across the back row and second row. "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," Baxter said. "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."

Hooper’s arrival will complement the Chiefs’ existing pool of young talent, including Dafydd Jenkins, Rusi Tuima, Greg Fisilau, and Ethan Roots. With a promising crop of back-five forwards, Exeter is building a formidable forward pack to challenge for success in the years ahead. Baxter is keen to see this group develop into a dominant force in the scrum.

With Hooper on board, the Chiefs’ back row looks set to be a key strength in the club’s push for silverware in the upcoming seasons.