Eddie Jones leaves Michael Hooper out of Australia's World Cup squad

Australia coach Eddie Jones tore up the World Cup script on Thursday, dumping Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his Wallabies squad for the tournament and gambling heavily on youth for the tilt at a third world title.

The omission of flanker Hooper, who has captained the Wallabies for the best part of the last decade, and 80-cap flyhalf Cooper were only the headline surprises as Jones made a statement with his selection.

"The experts have written us off. No one believes we can do it, but we believe," Jones said in a press release.

"I've backed the young blokes because they earned it. Simple as that. I haven't handed it to them. They grabbed it. It's exciting for me to go to work each day with these guys who are just busting to improve, to learn and to get better."

Australia, world champions in 1991 and 1999, are languishing in eighth place in the world rankings and have yet to win a test in four attempts since the return of Jones as coach in January.

Cooper, 35, had long been expected to be Australia's starting flyhalf in France after recovering from a ruptured Achilles to return to the squad.

Carter Gordon, who played his first Test last month, will now travel to France as Australia's sole specialist flyhalf with Ben Donaldson, who has played two internationals, backing up as a utility.

Uncapped teenager Max Jorgensen was also named in the squad as an outside back despite having played only a handful of Super Rugby matches before his season was cut short by a knee injury sustained in late May.

There was also a surprise in the captaincy with France-based lock Will Skelton taking the role in partnership with scrumhalf Tate McDermott, who led the side for the first time against the All Blacks last week.

Hooper, who has played