The following statement was released today by James Slipper, through the Wallabies, in response to questions about his future career plans: I’m back.
Slipper will complete a remarkable retirement U-turn and has made himself available for the July Tests and potentially beyond, with the squad set to be named on Friday.
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The prop, who just turned 37, has answered the call from Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt amid a string of injuries in the loosehead position.
Brumbies teammate Blake Schoupp will miss the next 4-6 months with a Lisfranc injury, whilst Tom Robertson (calf), Tom Lambert (knee) and Aidan Ross (toe) all missed time towards the end of the regular season of Super Rugby Pacific.
With Angus Bell also suffering a short-term foot injury during his stint in Ulster, the calls started to come for the Brumby to dust off the gold jersey as he continued to impress for the Brumbies.
"I talked to Joe a fair bit, I wouldn't say weekly, but maybe fortnightly, and he just asked me to come in and have another go," Slipper told reporters.
“...It probably wasn't until [Angus] 'Belly' went down throughout the year that [he] probably just sought out my interest in coming back and then we just stayed in contact for the rest of the year.
"It wasn't necessarily from the first phone call I'm definitely coming back, it was more to and fro and just making sure that: one, I was playing good for the Brumbies and then two, it's always a team first approach so if I was needed, then I'd give it another go.”
Slipper has committed to the Tests against Ireland, France and Italy and is willing to continue on for as long as the team needs.
The all-time cap leader in Super Rugby and Wallabies history has already got his eyes set on another season in the ACT.
“I can guarantee I'm available for the first three games and then potentially throughout the year, if needed but that's probably where it's gone to at this stage," Slipper explained.
“I want to keep playing next year and that's still to be set in stone down at the Brumbies.”
This naturally throws up the question of whether Slipper would be available for next year's World Cup.
The prop already holds the record for most appearances by a Wallaby (21) and a fifth would put him in an exclusive group alongside Samoan great Brian Lima and Italian legends Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse to achieve that milestone.
“I want to feel like I’m playing the best Rugby for the Brumbies and it’s like this year, if I put myself in a position where I feel I’ve played well enough to still be contributing to the Wallabies and there’s a reason for me to be available for the World Cup, then I’ll put my hand up," he said.
“But a couple of things need to happen and I need to earn that. I need to be playing well and I’ve got to be a better option than the other looseheads in the country at the time.
“At no stage am I sitting here thinking I'm going to be a certainty for the World Cup because, you know, you've got to be playing well, you've got to be picked but if I'm still playing for the Brumbies, and the team needs me, I'll put my hand up for the World Cup.
“...I probably surprised myself a little bit with how well I played this year. I know I’m probably not the best prop running around, but I still felt like I was moving well. I didn't set out at the start of the year to make another Wallabies squad, it was just a matter of the circumstances of the year kind of led me to this position.”
