Quade aims to fix ‘toxic’ Wallabies
Outspoken playmaker Quade Cooper has labelled the Wallabies a “toxic environment” but says it’s one he wants to fix.
A frustrated Cooper on Sunday night denied he was attempting to undermine coach Robbie Deans following a series of negative Twitter posts against the Australian Rugby Union and the Wallabies set-up.
But the sidelined five-eighth, whose own future in the game now appears shaky, felt he needed to speak out about in-house problems within the national team.
Cooper started speaking his mind on Thursday when he criticised Australia’s boring style, warning they would continue to lose fans and Bledisloe Tests against New Zealand with conservative tactics.
Then among a series of controversial tweets on Saturday, he said he was only allowed to play his exciting game in Super Rugby for Queensland and might join close friend Sonny Bill Williams in the NRL next season.
Cooper said the tweets were not an attack on Deans but the whole Wallabies/ARU set-up – players, selectors, officials and coaches alike – which he believed was a far cry from the professionalism of the Reds.
“There’s a lot of people who are afraid to say what they feel so they just go along with it and nothing is going to change,” he told AAP on Sunday night.
“That’s why I feel so strongly as a player. I don’t want to be involved in the toxic environment, and that’s how it is at the moment.
“It’s an environment where things aren’t going according to plan and everyone is looking to point the finger.”
Cooper stressed he loved the code and would continue to play under Deans, who is under pressure to keep his job from Reds coach Ewen McKenzie.
“All I want to do is fix the problems and get on with it and win rugby games,” the 24-year-old said.
“But if to say that Ewen is the next coach of course I would support that.
“That’s not to say I’m not supporting Robbie. He’s done a lot for me as a kid coming through.
“I’m very respectful to Robbie and I’m very thankful to Robbie as well for giving me the opportunity that he has.
“But for me it’s about bettering myself and bettering the country and I’m just sick of losing to the All Blacks.
“I hate losing.”
Cooper also identified poor selections as an impediment and cited the late, but successful, Test call-up of Reds winger Dom Shipperley due to injuries as an example of form Super Rugby players being overlooked.
The 38-Test five-eighth signed a three-year contract to remain with Queensland in June but with ARU negotiations dragging on there’s concerns he’ll be lost to rugby.
“I don’t want to come across as a mercenary but I feel very strongly about how this is run because I’m part of it and I want to succeed,” he said.
“There would have to be big things to take me away from the game but at the same time I don’t want to be a pawn in things that aren’t moving forward.”
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (20) | Page 1 of Comments
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September 24th 2012 @ 8:22am
The Battered Slav said | September 24th 2012 @ 8:22am | Report comment
Should Lealiifano rediscover his preinjury form, Quade may not necessarily be needed in this toxic environment.
Although what he says does not surprise me and I doubt will surprise many roarers at all….
September 24th 2012 @ 8:29am
Wally James said | September 24th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Yet again Cooper turns to twitter! Did he learn nothing from his experiences in the RWC?
If he thinks something is wromg in the Wallaby Camp the one way to ensure it is not fixed is to turn to social media. All that does is put those who count offside. Anything he says can, and probably will, be misconstrued.
The one thing allykazoos do not like is for disagreements to be made public. Cooper would be well advised to keep his thoughts, such as they are, to himself.
September 24th 2012 @ 8:58am
Wally James said | September 24th 2012 @ 8:58am | Report comment
And as if on que look at
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/queensland-reds-boss-jim-carmichael-is-fed-up-with-quade-coopers-twitter-antics/story-fn8t7efs-1226479729273
September 24th 2012 @ 11:22am
Rugby Tragic said | September 24th 2012 @ 11:22am | Report comment
Oh yeah… and QC is going to fix the problems huh? Yeah sure! … It is the likes of himself, brand JOC (who at least is a good player), Beale who are individuals playing an individual game within a team environment which is ‘the toxic problem’ – not sure I’d want to fight in the trenches with them.
Rugby, last time I looked was a team game, one played by a team with a structure and strategy to succeed. Individuals who think only of themselves seeking to be covered with glory but not wanting to clean up the mess are divisive.
September 24th 2012 @ 1:56pm
post said | September 24th 2012 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Even known team players that follow instructions like Barnes have not been following the plan recently. Surely that must be indicative that there is serious divide forming somewhere behind the scenes. Or we can put our heads in the sand and lambast Cooper for having the guts to say what so many of us have been thinking.
September 24th 2012 @ 4:26pm
Rugby Tragic said | September 24th 2012 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
I am not sure post.
But what I do know is rugby is a team game. I can remember as a kid (and that was a long time ago) I got blasted by my coach for trying to ‘do it on my own’ – never forgot it – he asked “if I thought my other team mates were on the field just to watch me!” And that was in 3rd grade. It was a lesson learnt and never forgotten.
September 25th 2012 @ 6:32am
post said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:32am | Report comment
As a rugby player myself I understand that fully and realize player power is usually a bad thing. However, we should not disregard what Cooper is saying just because he is the one saying it.
September 24th 2012 @ 9:38am
WooblesFan said | September 24th 2012 @ 9:38am | Report comment
The Wallabies are an epic mess.
Cooper’s GOT BALLS I tell you…the guts to speak out. I like this kid in that regard. He’s vetting against years of corrupt and incapable ARU administration.
Cooper’s giving us a real insider’s view of this tragic situation.
Coops, as well as Genia, Horwill and all the QLD Reds know what it’s like to play winning, attacking rugby….they must be going insane underDeans.
Yet JON gave this toxic coach an extensionBEFORE the RWC….endorsed by the ARU.
A train wreck I tell you.
All we can do now is wait for the RC to end, Deans to get sacked and this sad and sorry era to be over.
Just waiting now to see how Spiros and Lordy spin this one. HA!
September 24th 2012 @ 10:56am
Gpc said | September 24th 2012 @ 10:56am | Report comment
I agree. This could be what it takes. The first one through the wall always gets bloody. For all we know qc and company have been venting their frustrations to the ARU and it’s now come to this.
September 24th 2012 @ 3:12pm
bluerose said | September 24th 2012 @ 3:12pm | Report comment
if only he got the balls and guts to tackle too, too much talk but no action, he thinks his talent is bigger than the team, well hate to burst your bubbles Mr Quake Cooper but we cannot take you seriously unless you prove us wrong on the field.
September 24th 2012 @ 12:22pm
Mokicat NZ said | September 24th 2012 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Australia seems to have the 2nd best rugby team on the planet at the moment. You people seem to be hard to please. If there is any toxicity Cooper is fueling its spreading.
September 24th 2012 @ 12:39pm
redsnut said | September 24th 2012 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Or maybe he’s just telling some home truths to those who don’t want to hear them.
September 24th 2012 @ 8:02pm
macka said | September 24th 2012 @ 8:02pm | Report comment
They are the 2nd best indeed – but only just. Plus the All Blacks are way ahead – which for a country with more sheep than people, shouldn’t be.
The Wallabies have slipped under Dean’s conservative approach. If you have players with superb skills, what a good coach does is build a strategy of play around those freakish abilities – as the Chiefs & All Blacks did so very successfully around SBW.
However, Deans has never done that around talented players like Beale, O’Connor & especially Cooper.
Plus, Cooper hit the nail on the head when he stated that the Wallabies are a bore to watch. For the first time during the rugby international season, i actually look to league with real interest – something unthinkable whilst the Super Rugby season is in swing.
Deans should be axed and if Ewen can be brought in it should be done…If not, then try bringing in Graham Henry from across the ditch – though i highly doubt that is a realistic possibility. Either way, something must be done to end the rot that Cooper so riskily noted.
September 25th 2012 @ 6:51am
Jerry said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:51am | Report comment
“a country with more sheep than people”
Like Australia?
September 24th 2012 @ 1:33pm
TJ said | September 24th 2012 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
So it’s about “bettering yourself and bettering the country ” Quade !!!! Are you for real !! I think the Kiwi’s have had you pegged from the start. Most of the rugby world have enjoyed your flashes of brilliance, but they have been well off set by your lapses both on and off the field. Please go to League and leave us alone ….we are sick of your non-sense. Sonny Bill will give you the flick pass when you flop at league and if you think the Rugby admin is toxic, wait until you start dropping passes in front of the league crowds….it will make your World Cup reception in NZ look like a tea party. Enjoy your five minutes of fame….it is coming to a close. Finally, I wouldn’t dump on Deans if I were you as he has stood by you . He may not be liked in Aussie as a Coach, but as a player he has been part of the AB’s and was a true competitor on the field….just the type of guy players want in their team. Go now before you twitter something else….please.
September 24th 2012 @ 1:59pm
post said | September 24th 2012 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Yes, Deans stood by Cooper by not starting him in the RC due to non-existent fitness issues, then started him against NZ at his hoodoo ground. Seriously, do you guys who attack Cooper even think about what you say?
September 24th 2012 @ 2:37pm
TJ said | September 24th 2012 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
Post….with respect I think it is QC that doesn’t think about what he says to the media and on twitter. I see the Reds Admin have had enough of his “toxic”statements…..I think Deans assisted QC in matters outside rugby as well as with regard to rugby matters. Finally, I see Quade, Digby and Beale were involved in a motor vehicle accident at 2.00am on the morning the Wallabies were flying out to South Africa…..perhaps they had been at a meeting to rid the Wallabies of toxicity….sure !!!!
September 24th 2012 @ 4:06pm
Jutsie said | September 24th 2012 @ 4:06pm | Report comment
Non existent fitness issues? so why did he just undergo surgery to remove floating cartilage in his knee? or did deans force him to go under the knife too?
Seriously do people like you read all the facts or just regurgitate whatever your favourite twitter posters tell you
September 25th 2012 @ 6:40am
post said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:40am | Report comment
So Jutsie, you believe Cooper was not fit the first week of the RC and then was fine the following? Also, the loose chip requiring additional surgery was not discovered until recently, how on earth could that have been why Cooper was deemed “unfit”?
Also, sorry to disappoint but I don’t use twitter. Maybe you could do with some of your own advise and think about the facts we have instead of just jumping on another opportunity to bash Cooper because you just don’t like him.
September 25th 2012 @ 2:07am
ThelmaWrites said | September 25th 2012 @ 2:07am | Report comment
“Mercenary”?
Did he really say that?