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MELBOURNE : Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has been omitted from Australia’s rugby sevens squad for next week’s world series final in Madrid in a setback to his Olympic bid.
Hooper, who was also dropped from Australia’s World Cup squad for France last year, played in the Singapore and Hong Kong legs of the global sevens series but has otherwise been sidelined with a string of injuries.
Rugby Australia said Hooper was dealing with a “niggling injury” without providing details, and that his workload was being managed.
The 32-year-old was one of four players omitted for the Madrid “Grand Final” which starts May 31.
With Madrid wrapping up the global series, Hooper has dwindling chances to convince Manenti he is match-fit before the Olympic sevens tournament starting July 24 in Paris.
Australia’s sevens squad will have a training camp in Fiji in mid-late June and likely warmup matches against the Olympic champion Fijians before naming their Olympic squad in early-July.
Australia are fourth in the world sevens series’ standings heading into Madrid, behind Argentina, Ireland and New Zealand.
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