Hooper will eclipse All Blacks centre Mils Muliaina, former Wallaby Al Baxter and Welsh contemporary George North on the list of fastest Test cap accumulators, having reached his half-ton in three years and four months. Michael Hooper is playing down his half-century of appearances. Credit:Dan Mullan Hooper turns 24 two days before the World Cup final, capping an extraordinary four seasons as an international. It's an exhausting showreel of achievements for the young Wallaby, who will also boast 44 starts among the half-century of appearances by the time he runs on to the pitch at Twickenham. But Hooper was taking a leaf out of his captain's book in camp this week, playing down the individual honour in favour of what he could do for his teammates.

"It is the biggest match of my career, a World Cup semi, but because it's 50 [games] I don't think has much bearing," he said. "Last week [Moore and Giteau] led by example, the focus wasn't about them individually, it was about the team, and if anything you owe the team your experience to be able to bring what you've learnt to the game. "Squeak and Gits did that so it was good learning for me." Hooper has played the Pumas seven times in his Test career and been part of a winning team on all but one of those occasions - the fateful final Rugby Championship tour of Argentina under Ewen McKenzie. But it was the last meeting between the two sides that proved the most dramatic, after Hooper was cited for striking Pumas No.10 Nicolas Sanchez and banned for one match.

The incident caused great ructions in Wallabyland, with team management adamant Hooper had not punched Sanchez and deeply suspicious the Pumas playmaker had played to the referee with an exaggerated dive. Hooper was in no mood to re-hash the controversy, but noted that World Rugby since issued a crackdown on soccer-type behaviour. "I think it was a rule that was [introduced] before the competition started that there wasn't going to be any of that," he said. "It's not something that's crossing our mind, that's for certain. We're just playing our game. "I don't think I need anymore fire than what's already [there] with the task at hand. It's a World Cup semi-final and we want to win."