The Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies have appointed former Head of Elite Pathways and Player Development Daniel Hooper as the side’s Backs and Attack coach.
Hooper, 45, has signed a two-year deal which will see him replace Rod Seib, who departed the club at the end of this year’s Super Rugby Pacific competition.
The switch has been finalised ahead of Super Rugby AUS and Hooper is thrilled to step up into the High-Performance set-up.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for me to join the coaching staff here at the Brumbies and make the next step in my career,” Hooper said.
“We have some world-class players in the group that I’m looking forward to coaching and there are plenty of guys that I have worked with already in my Academy role.
“We’re all systems go now for Super Rugby AUS and I can’t wait to get started.”
After featuring in provincial rugby in both England and New Zealand as a player, Hooper joined the Brumbies in January 2013 after nearly three years at the Reds as their Regional Development Manager. On initially joining the Brumbies, he took up the role of Coaching and Development Manager, before becoming the club’s Head of Academy in September 2017.
He has led the Academy program to unprecedented success, which includes two consecutive U19s Super Rugby titles over the past two seasons.
The former Reds employee takes over from Seib, who recently joined Irish side Connacht after nearly five years at the Brumbies. Last year’s Australia A coach Seib oversaw five successful seasons, with the club reaching the final of Super Rugby AU in his first before finishing in the top four of Super Rugby in each of the subsequent four seasons.
Head coach Stephen Larkham was delighted to see Hooper make the step up to the Super Rugby Pacific set-up.
“Hoops has done an incredible job at the helm of the Academy program and has achieved some excellent results, as shown by the recent success of the U19s,” Larkham said.
“He’s worked extremely hard to get to where he is and shown a great understanding of coaching and player development. The players that have worked with Hoops speak incredibly highly of him.
“Everyone at the organisation is looking forward to him becoming a part of the coaching set-up.”
