It was a dismal last World Cup for the Wallabies but for Blake Schoupp the experience of representing Australia in France was one the Woonona Shamrocks junior will never forget
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The injured ACT Brumbies prop got the opportunity to return to Ocean Park on Saturday to watch his junior club Shamrocks fall agonisingly close to ending Shoalhaven's 24-game winning streak.
While the reigning back-to-back Illawarra rugby premiers Shoalhaven snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, Schoupp enjoyed watching his brother Ryan Schoupp and the Shamrocks give the Shoals a run for their money.
He also enjoyed catching up with family and friends but told the Mercury he was on track to return to playing for the Brumbies in their Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Blues this Saturday.
The 26-year-old has been out of the side since Schoupp injured his shoulder in the Brumbies 27-21 win over the Highlanders on March 16.
"I'm just coming back from a grade two AC sprain," he said.
"It has sort of been good timing really because we had the bye this weekend. They have given me the opportunity for it to settle completely and I'll hopefully be up for selection against the Blues next weekend, which is a big game.
"It's the best case scenario in terms of injury wise. I just sat out a couple of weeks but I'm ready to go now."
Schoupp is now an integral member of the Brumbies.
His good form for the Super Rugby Pacific outfit last year saw the then Wallabies coach Eddie Jones pick Schoupp in his 33-man Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup in France.
History shows it was Australia's worst ever World Cup showing.
Unfortunately Australia broke its 35-year-long streak of advancing to at least the quarter-finals in every Rugby World Cup since its inception in 1987 (shared with New Zealand and France) after being eliminated in the Pool stages in 2023.
In the aftermath Eddie Jones quit as Wallabies head coach, with Joe Schmidt the new Wallabies coach.
"Obviously the results weren't so great. It's a results based business and they weren't there but the experience is one I will never forget," Schoupp said.
"Just to be involved in the group was amazing and tour around France and all that sort of stuff was just an unbelievable experience. I took a lot from it.
"I'm now looking to build from that and move up the ranks and play some consistent footy and hopefully be back there at the end of the year.
"It's a bit of a breath of fresh air having a new coach in there, new systems and new assistant coaches.
"At the moment the focus is on performing well for the Brumbies and hopefully bring some success to the Australian Super Rugby teams and letting the rest of that sort of stuff take care of itself."
But Schoupp's main focus is on winning the Super Rugby title with the Brumbies.
"I think we've been building. I've only been there for two years now but the club's been building and we've been a really good team for a while and we want to be a great team and I think the next step is taking home the trophy and then whatever happens after that, I'll be pretty happy."
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
