Australia must win Sunday morning's clash with Argentina in Salta or they will be saddled with their first wooden spoon since the four-team southern hemisphere tournament was established in its current format in 2012.
A defeat could have huge implications for
the future of coach Michael Cheika, as well as delivering another brutal dent to the team's confidence less than a year from the World Cup.
Skipper Hooper wasn't game to go where Will Genia and Cheika boldly went and promise a Wallabies victory at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena but he did promise they would be up for the fight against Los Pumas.
"A lot of times it's us as a nation, the underdog thing and the backs-against- the-wall thing and being fighters there," Hooper told reporters.
"Certainly we've had performances like that in the last couple of years. "Tomorrow night we'll do the talking and get out there.
"You have to dust yourself off after losses and get back up.
"I don't want to say desperate (but) we are extremely excited to get out there and play and win." Cheika has finalised his bench, cutting Rory Arnold and going with a 5-3 split of forwards and backs.
It means back-rower Caleb Timu will make his first Test appearance since the June series against Ireland.
An open game is likely – matches in Salta tend to be high-scoring, while there is a mild altitude factor with the northwestern city, which is 1152m above sea level.
It should be a perfect environment for Australia's attack to rediscover its groove, particularly with a refreshed Bernard Foley at five-eighth and Kurtley Beale back beside him.
"It gives him a bit more time, being at 12. It takes the responsibility off him," Hooper said of Beale, who has played at No.10 for the last three weeks.
"Once he sees and gets the picture and can digest that, he's as dangerous as they come.
"Watching him with the ball in hand when he's got time, he looks so natural."
ARGENTINA VS AUSTRALIA – RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta
Kick-off: 11.40am (NZT) Sunday, October 6
Head to head: Played 30, Australia 23, Argentina 6, drawn 1
LOS PUMAS: Emiliano Boffelli, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo De la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano, Nicolas Sanchez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Javier Ortega Desio, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti, Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Reserves: Julian Montoya, Santiago Garcia Botta, Santiago Medrano, Matias Alemanno, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Sebastian Cancelliere.
WALLABIES: Dane Haylett-Petty, Israel Folau, Reece Hodge, Kurtley Beale, Marika Koroibete, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan, Adam Coleman, Izack Rodda, Taniela Tupou, Folau Faingaa, Scott Sio. Reserves: Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Caleb Timu, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Tom Banks.
