Springboks captain Jean de Villiers says Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has the chance to become Australian rugby's version of champion cricketer Graeme Smith.
It was about as good a compliment the 22-year-old Wallabies captain could have hoped for from his opposite on the eve of last night's Rugby Championship test in Perth.
A string of injuries to numerous previous captains - including Will Genia, Stephen Moore and David Pocock - fast-tracked Hooper to the role this year after former captain Ben Mowen went to European rugby.
And while he captained the Wallabies with aplomb in their 3-0 sweep over France, Hooper hit his first major hurdle two weeks ago when his side were wiped off the park by the All Blacks 51-20 at Eden Park. When asked if he had any sympathy for Hooper after being catapulted into the captaincy role in such sudden circumstances, de Villiers laughed before giving his opposite some mighty high praise.
He compared him to his fellow countryman and longest serv-ing international cricketing captain Smith, who dragged a struggling South African side up to world No1 by rebuilding their confidence through sheer talent and grit before retiring this year.
