Waratahs and Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper has kept the door open for a potential switch to Sevens or a move back overseas as his time in NSW comes to an end.
Hooper will play his last home game in the sky blue on Saturday against Moana Pasifika, confirming he will leave the club at the end of the 2023 season.
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It's the first time since the then-Wallabies captain signed a five-year deal in 2018 that Hooper has been off-contract, entertaining all options ahead of next year's Paris Olympics.
“I haven’t been in the position to have an open landscape and that’s really exciting to me, daunting at times because I’ve been so institutionalised by Rugby which is awesome," Hooper told reporters on Tuesday
“Sevens is on the landscape but there’s a lot of work and detail to go into that. Those guys are incredible fit and it’s a different game and beast from when I started years and years ago. I’m a different player so how that would even look, there’s a lot of discussion that needs to be had.
“Is there overseas? Is there something else? I’m really open to it.”
Asked on Tuesday if he would consider answering a call from Wallabies coach Eddie Jones to feature in the 2025 series against the British and Irish Lions in Australia if needed, Hooper let out a lengthy sigh.
"Ahhh, oh, I don't know," he said.
"You never say never. I've travelled a lot and been lucky enough to be able to do this for a long time.
"I have a young family. However that shapes up over the next little bit, and what that takes to get back in a gold jersey in that point in time, I don't know. It depends.
"I don't know what the next six months looks like, let alone the next three years."
First and foremost, after leading NSW to a hoodoo-busting first Super Rugby title in 2014, the 31-year-old is intent on trying to help the Waratahs win a second crown.
The Tahs host the expansion side in the last round, assured of finishing sixth but needing to bounce back from last Saturday's 42-18 belting from the Crusaders in Christchurch heading into next week's sudden-death quarter-finals.
"I'm trying to focus on the game. It's a big game for us to try to regain some momentum going into the finals so I want to play well," Hooper said.
"That's my first focus and then after that final whistle blows ... having the family there, and hopefully getting them onto the field to experience that with me would be cool."
