Cooper is playing Russian Roulette with his career
Columnist By David Lord, 25 Sep 2012 David Lord is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Quade Cooper, robbie deans, wallabies
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Suspended Queensland Reds player Quade Cooper carries the water. AAP Image/Dan Peled
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Four interesting questions have surfaced since Quade Cooper dropped his extraordinary claim that there’s a “toxic environment” within the Wallabies.
Why did he wait until the Wallabies were in South Africa preparing for Saturday’s clash with the Boks at Loftus, when Cooper was at home injured?
Why hasn’t there been a peep from the Wallabies? There’s been no directive from management. The Wallabies have taken it on themselves to ignore their team-mate.
Why has Cooper dropped his bombshell when he’s still in negotiations with the ARU to renew his contract?
And how could the “toxic environment” Wallabies manage to come from behind twice against the Boks and the Pumas in successive weeks?
The Boks led 13-6 at the break, but the Wallabies won 26-19. The Pumas led 6-3 at half-time and 19-6 deep into the second half, but the Wallabies won 23-19.
Hardly a toxic environment.
There have been 189 Tests for the Wallabies since rugby turned pro in 1996. But only once before in those 16 years have the men-in-gold been behind at half-time and won back-to-back Tests.
Coached by John Connolly and skippered by Stirling Mortlock, the first was in Melbourne in June 2007 against the All Blacks. The Wallabies were behind at the break 15-6 and won 20-15, keeping the men-in-black scoreless in the second half.
The next week in Sydney, the Wallabies trailled 17-10 against the Boks at half-time, and won 26-17. In fact, it was worse than that: the Boks jumped out to a 17-0 lead after 10 minutes and never scored another point.
It would be timely for Nathan Sharpe and Adam Ashley-Cooper to remind their colleagues in Pretoria of those two games, as the only two Wallabies left from 2007 to play next Saturday.
That Springbok Test was also remembered for the last Test on home soil for George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, and for Larkham’s 100th cap.
The point being, Cooper is up the creek without a paddle, all of his own making.
Shades of Matt Giteau’s suicide criticising coach Robbie Deans on Twitter that cost Giteau a Rugby World Cup berth last year, and his Wallaby career.
Clearly the Cooper “toxic” call was dumping on his team mates who have returned the compliment by dumping on him.
The ARU can’t let that call go unnoticed, so that leaves the pending contract up in the air.
It’s doubtful Cooper will be contrite. That’s not on his agenda.
So it’s sink or swim.
At the moment it’s odds-on sink.
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September 25th 2012 @ 5:15am
Justin2 said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:15am | Report comment
Not many appear to be criticizing the content of the debate, just the messenger. In fact a few are applauding and asking for a review – Knuckles, Phil Mooney, Campo. The silence is deafening from and for the Establishment….
September 25th 2012 @ 7:25am
Riccardo said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:25am | Report comment
Morning Justin,
The content of Cooper’s rant has some accuracy IMO.
I have no doubt that you and many Wallabies fans will be grateful for the fact it is being debated publicly now as this will contribute to the changes you seek and the celerity with which they transpire.
However I would be interested to know if you support the medium and timing with the Wallabies preparing for their first tough match of a quite arduous tour. Incidentally, I think this is the very reason there will be little or no response from the Team.
It would also appear that 1) Quade is very confident of Link’s imminent appointment or 2) Nasser has convinced him to jump codes.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:29am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:29am | Report comment
riccardo – at a guess i’d say he wants to go to league. i’d be real interested though how will he get out of his QLD contract?
September 25th 2012 @ 8:40am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:40am | Report comment
Mania, I don’t think that the Qld contract is final until ratified by the ARU.
It all comes down to his word and as his actual employer is the ARU the Reds may be a casualty.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:53am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:53am | Report comment
El Gamba and redKev thanx for clearing that up
September 25th 2012 @ 11:15am
sittingbison said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:15am | Report comment
not only that, but any public discussion about the contracts until ratified by ARU leads to draconian fines.
If you are the Force that is (Kanaar?), not sure about Reds or Tahs lol
September 25th 2012 @ 8:57pm
garth said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:57pm | Report comment
Same way his mate SBW did with the ‘doggies, just walk.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:01am
Justin2 said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:01am | Report comment
G’day Ricc,
Good points and in answer the timing isn’t good is it. The medium doesn’t concern me if there is going to be open criticism then this is the way it is in the digital world.
There will and has been much posturing about QC but hopefully he has lit a match that will spark action.
I don’t know the guy and it maybe for selfish reasons but I also believe he is trying to do some good. He has passion and while we can question motives, timings etc the message must not fall on deaf ears.
I fully expect QC to be sacked by the ARU today. The silence yesterday was extraordinary and I believe the battleship is now in place to fire every weapon in its arsenal.
The biggest loser in this will be the Reds. So much of their success is down to QC. Their fans will be seething if the above comes to reality.
Many on here will be bagging QC but he is saying exactly hat they have been which is humerous indeed.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:13am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Justin2 – issue i have with quades rant is it distracts his team mates from the build up of their game. this is not the actions of a team player. i dont care that he had a crack at ARU and deans, its the fact he didnt think about the affect all this has on his team mates getting ready for a big game deep in enemy territory in the toughest country to tour at the toughest stadium.
what he said needed to be said, but why couldnt he have announced it early last week or keep his mouth shut till after the tests? quade’s not thinking about his mates and is looking for an out. he’ll have to break his contract with QLD cos the ARU wont be renewing
September 25th 2012 @ 8:35am
Red Kev said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:35am | Report comment
He won’t have to break his contract with the Reds. Australian contracting is different to NZs.
Once you have signed with a Super Rugby franchise you can negotiate with the ARU for a top up, if you are a player that doesn’t get a top up this is a rubber-stamp exercise, but for others like Cooper it is a drawn out and painful process (they changed it so you had to sign with a franchise first after the 2011 debacle with Rocky Elsom).
The contract with the franchise needs to be “ratified” by the ARU to be binding.
There is no contract to break until Cooper signs with the ARU regardless of the signature on a bid of paper at Ballymore.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:36am
Mike said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Spot on, Mania. If an All Black player did something like this he would be out the door so fast…
Not one of Quade’s teammates have supported Cooper, and the CEO of Queensland Reds has publicly called on him to shut up.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:40am
Red Kev said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:40am | Report comment
And has he posted anything else on the subject or responded to the (no doubt) 14000 media calls he’s gotten since then? No. So the Reds CEO asked him to stop and he did.
As for his teammates – I would not be surprised to learn they got given a gag order by the media manager on tour ‘until an official response had been formulated’.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:45am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Mike,
a. If the NZRU was in the same state as the ARU it may be a fair consideration. There is however a vast gulf in how NZ administers the game compared to Australia; and
b. Of course no-one will say anything, they aren’t in Quade’s unique contract and playing position and rightly need to focus on the match at hand. Quade’s comment won’t distract from that.
I’m amazed that suddenly the commentary, from the likes of the article writer and roarers, is that Australian rugby is in a golden period and Quade is the only hiccup! Unbelieveable!
September 25th 2012 @ 8:53am
Mike said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Prawn, you know that I have defended Quade on many occasions in the past.
I have not above suggested that Aus rugby is in a golden period, quite the opposite. I don’t think anyone else who has criticised Quade for this has suggested that either.
We have to lift our game in all aspects, and one of those aspects is professionalism. You don’t criticise the coach and drag down the team in public. If you do, you are out. Gone. Finished. That doesn’t just apply in rugby.
What makes it worse in this case, is that the circumstances indicate Quade has done this for purely selfish reasons (or perhaps, more tellingly, that his agent has told him to do it for purely selfish reasons).
September 25th 2012 @ 9:27am
Riccardo said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
El Gamba,
“Quade’s comment won’t distract from that”.
I disagree. While there will be a formal blanket within the team for exactly this purpose it would be foolhardy to surmise this will be the case when you yourself have acknowledged there is a significant problem within the team and its structure.
I think you’ll find that a lot of us feel the same as you in that Quade’s vent is only drawing attention to an obvious issue. However, the position many roarers are adopting relating to the timing of this outburst and its affect on the Team as they undertake one of the toughest tasks in International Rugby is also valid.
That this reflects Quade’s (and his mangement’s) agenda or worse, stupidity, is also a valid discussion.
Loved the fax comment yesterday, BTW
September 25th 2012 @ 9:37am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Mike,
Point taken regarding professionalism and perhaps I am being a little altruistic in that these comments should be debated, not just written off as “Gen Y rantings” or Quade playing contract games.. I certainly understand Quade’s frustration and wonder why Deans is now coaching a different structure to when at Crusaders (“play what’s in front of you”).
David Lord’s comment: “But only once before in those 16 years have the men-in-gold been behind at half-time and won back-to-back Tests” is really grasping at straws and portrays Australian rugby stronger than it is… We can always find a stat that makes us look better.
Did you know that we are undefeated against the AB’s in Hong Kong since 2010!
September 25th 2012 @ 9:41am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Riccardo,
I agree. I suppose I should have said that I don’t see how Quade’s comments will make things much worse. You’d have to be blind freddy not to see the body language of the players at present.
Timing wise, yes terrible, but more effective for that. Had he said it at another time it would not have the oxygen it does.
You are correct in that the ultimate goal should be the Wallabies, but why is this only the responsibility of the players?
My car still has a cassette player
The wife gets the good one!
September 25th 2012 @ 12:40pm
peterlala said | September 25th 2012 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
El Gamba, I agree. Cooper has gone from being called the greatest flyhalf in the world to…who knows where this will end? I hope Cooper isn’t shunted then vilified like other, recent Wallaby stars.
David, only last week you praised Cooper for saying the Wallabies should be adventurous. His call was an implied criticism of Robbie Dean’s coaching.
I would be amazed if the atmosphere within the Wallabies wasn’t toxic.
The fact that Cooper talks publicly, rather than to his employers, suggests there is poor communication between this player and the Wallaby management.
It is not a player’s job to maintain the chanels of communication. In this case, the player is one of the leadership group, so the level of communication should be greater.
September 26th 2012 @ 12:39am
bluerose said | September 26th 2012 @ 12:39am | Report comment
his teammates backed and defended him when Graham Henry released his book and now he returns the favour by criticising them (ARU, Deans and players). great team player i see
September 25th 2012 @ 8:52pm
cm said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:52pm | Report comment
He’ll be crushed in league. They’ll just run big men at him all day, game over after 15 minutes.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:24am
brooke48 said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:24am | Report comment
yep;and all three gentlemen with a self seving ambition.all three want a vacancy .
shame about poor coaching resumes boys.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:20am
sph45 said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:20am | Report comment
I really think this is a shame. Colours to the mast – I’m with Cooper.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:35am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:35am | Report comment
normally i’d be with cooper but in this case i’ve gotta side with the team. dont care that quade criticised deans and the ARU but dumping on your team mates is a sin bin offense. nice knowing ya quade. hope u do better in leaue though someone should tell you that the hits are alot more often
September 25th 2012 @ 7:13am
Sandy said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:13am | Report comment
My sentiments exactly Mania. Very disappointing. Go Wallabies.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:17am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:17am | Report comment
yeah sandy go the WB’s. heres an awesome line from an article from taineRandell, a poor AB’s captain but an awesome player.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/our-experts/7718598/Can-the-All-Blacks-purple-patch-continue
“With their injuries, the Wallabies look vulnerable to losing one or possibly both games on the road. But you wouldn’t put it past them winning each of them because, with their backs to the wall, they have shown why they are No 2 .” in other words never never underestimate the wb’s.
quade wb’s will carry on without you
September 25th 2012 @ 9:10am
Albo said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
I totally agree mania. He may not have directly intended or even directly dumped on his team at all, but indirectly he has cast a cloud over the whole organisation which creates an enormous amount of pressure on the team as a whole and will no doubt affect their preparation. The team will suffer on tour as a result of these comments and surely there has to be an accountability on his part. I very much doubt his team mates will look at this as helpful to their (already difficult) cause.
But if in some way this spurs them on to greater things I am more than happy to eat my hat. It’s out of love for our national team that these comments are concerning. Let’s hope character abounds. Stick it to em this weekend boys!
September 25th 2012 @ 8:48am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Mania, when did he “dump on the team”? Do you mean from the timing?
September 25th 2012 @ 9:06am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:06am | Report comment
El Gamba – not what he said but when he said it. he should’ve said this last week before the team were deep in SA. he should’ve said all this before the bye week. thats what i mean by dumping on his team, its more dumping this mess in their laps
September 25th 2012 @ 9:44am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Fair point mania, though is never really good timing for this sort of statement as at the wrong time it will get swept under the carpet.
IMO the ARU needs a review (and not a Mark Habib one!) similar to CA. It then needs a re-structure. This will be far more painful and there is a lot of resistance at all levels. It hurt Queensland but look at the benefits.
September 25th 2012 @ 10:29am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
El Gamba – he should have said this last week. the wb’s and deans were still in the country and hadnt left for the tour. would’ve made the same impact. now however this is having an impact on the team prep.
i agree with what he said, its old news, but now he’s bringing down the team as well who have probably been gagged so adding more pressure to their prep
September 25th 2012 @ 11:05am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Fair point mania. On the other hand, perhaps he has been in contact with the players and explained his stand point? Perhaps the players will now be able to play with the shackles off?
Obviously we don’t know what goes on behind closed doors but we only see a little bit of it, and most of this is pretty distorted by the ARU toadies.
To a large extent a lot more has been read into Quade’s statements than was really there as rugby journalists sensationalize and then back the establishment to prove their worth, obviously with a backdrop of print media downsizing and a number of redundancies.
September 25th 2012 @ 2:31pm
Kuruki said | September 25th 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Maybe some of the players are happy he has said it when they are out of the country. At least they get to dodge the drama and not have to face the Aussie public questioning if this is true information or not. Think about it from that point of view and maybe it was actually good timing.
I’m not sure if it was such good timing for Cooper though. I can’t see how the Roosters could sign Maloney SBW and Cooper in the same season.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:50am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:50am | Report comment
“Might thoughts on rugby now is who’s playing … my thoughts on other codes how the f— do we get tickets !!“
“I love rugby but there’s s–t going on behind and above the players the effects the whole organisation! Happens at the reds few years back.”
He hasn’t even had a go at Deans and yet that is continually used as the headline!
September 25th 2012 @ 9:18am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:18am | Report comment
El Gamba he says he can only play freely for the Reds, he says he would support Mckenzie as Wallabies coach despite saying he would also support Deans (why is he mentioning Mckenzie as Wallabies coach at all?), he talks of a toxic environment which whether it embraces the ARU obviously includes the Wallabies itself.
(Nasser carefully chooses environment so he can put pressure on both the coach and organisation without explicitly naming either).
September 25th 2012 @ 9:27am
brooke48 said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Surprised cooper can spell toxic;but sure “others” can.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:46am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:46am | Report comment
brooke48 if Cooper was really writing these attacks himself they would be very simple, probably obscene, and in no way directed against an abstract idea such as an ‘environment’.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:56am
Ben.S said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Obscene? Really, the mind boggles…
September 25th 2012 @ 9:47am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Yes, so he implies that he can’t play freely for the Wallabies, not for Deans. My point was about the coaching set-up and are the structures totally Deans’ domain? He seems to have a lot of “ARU plants” around him (conspiracy theory perhaps!)
I’d like to think he doing it all for the right reasons
Brooke, please check your grammar before having a go at someone else’s education.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:56am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
El Gamba I think it’s somewhat extravagant to suppose it’s the ARU and not Deans who are identified as responsible for the ‘conservative’ game-plan, which certainly hasn’t looked very conservative for the past two matches.
That would be to suggest that the ARU control how Deans coaches.
September 25th 2012 @ 10:40am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:40am | Report comment
KPM, I didn’t and haven’t said “conservative”.
I am seeing a game plan that is too structured and pre-meditated. Rarely did we see Quade attacking the line with three options running off him ready for the ball. When we did, the Wallabies looked good. Otherwise we looked pedestrian and predictable with one off runners easily contained defensively.
It may be extravagant (as I said “conspiracy”!) but can someone explain the coaching structure, ULTIMATE responsibilities and who appointed each part of the structure?
September 25th 2012 @ 10:52am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:52am | Report comment
El Gamba I thought the Wallabies were quite effective in the backs considering the pack isn’t dominant, which I think is the key here. Because the Reds pack is more of a match for its Super level adversaries, the team can play a bolder running game because the forwards will be able to back it up. Because the Wallabies have to face the tremendous All Black and Springbok packs, they can’t play such bold rugby as their own pack will not be able to support it. This is why the Wallabies are less bold that the Reds, along with the increased toughness of top international level defenses from the kind of stuff the Reds face.
September 25th 2012 @ 11:11am
El Gamba said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:11am | Report comment
KPM, again I’m not talking about a bold game, and think you may be missing my point. I’m talking about a smart game where we are keeping the defence guessing by providing options to the halves. Forwards or backs, at width or in tight.
At present we are playing right into the hands of the bigger packs by being predictable and one dimensional. I know for a fact that the Wallabies pre-conceive their first 3 or 4 plays from a set piece, down to who is getting the ball and who is cleaning out then who is getting the ball next etc.
September 25th 2012 @ 11:25am
sittingbison said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
there were more tweets than that, plus the article last week criticizing Deans:
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/bre…920-268qy.html
“…Quade Cooper’s patience with conservative rugby has worn out and he wants the Wallabies to be brave, not boring, to boost their fortunes and lagging support…In a shot at their uninspiring play in 27-19 and 22-0 losses to the All Blacks last month, the 38-Test five-eighth predicted Australia would continue to lose to the world champions if they played with caution…”
“…I’d much rather go down swinging and throwing the punches to put yourself in a winning position than come out saying we kept it close….It’s okay if you come close but it’s not if you never look like beating them….It’s the only way we’re going to beat the All Blacks…If people want to go out there and play a boring brand of football then there’s other guys they can pick to do that…”
September 25th 2012 @ 2:18pm
toddo said | September 25th 2012 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
where there is smoke there is fire
September 25th 2012 @ 5:34am
Monty String said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:34am | Report comment
DAVID – I don’t think Quade’s toxic comment was directed toward performance as much as it was the feeling in the sheds, the discussions several members of the team get into when they’re out partying. (And out late. If they’re in training, what are doing getting into fender benders at two in the a.m?) Few of the Wallabies, so I hear, are happy with Robbie at the helm. They don’t like to be told they’re not good enough to play expansive rugby a la the ABs. Quade’s complaint may well be legitimate, but you’re right – the timing is suspicious. Could it be he’s sawn the floor out from under himself because he’s wearing a league parachute?
September 25th 2012 @ 9:09pm
garth said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:09pm | Report comment
Has any considered that the “toxic enviroment” maybe Deans telling ‘Brand’ Cooper & co. to lay off the grog and get their arses in bed on time? Especially when recovering from injuries, etc.? He comes across as the type of whiney brat who would object to that.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:35am
Johnno said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:35am | Report comment
I have noticed David and Spiro support the ARU and JON , often why I am confused . BUT also what has struck me with surprise is this. Why have the ARU not acknowledged publicly Quade Coopers comments, been deathly silent hosing it down. Why not if they have nothing to hide, light the fire and bring the debate to public with quad and wallaby fans. Does JON have a duty to publicly acknowledge quad cooper’s opinions and concerns. And why doesn’t JON do what the warpaths did for example 2 years ago or last year when ever it was and face a public audience giving him there opinions if he has nothing to hide about the state of rugby in Australia. Parramatta eels players faced there fans and copped a spray, as did the waratahs cop a spray by fans as well. JON should not be above a public spray or criticism . And JON should really if he has any guts face up publicly and acknowledge Quade Cooper’s comments. But I think he will hide , and not face up to people like Quade, or Giteau, or Campo as well .
September 25th 2012 @ 5:43am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:43am | Report comment
why does quade deserve a response? his comments are devisive for the team. while deans is in charge quade wont wear green and gold again. thats the statement the ARU will be making.
giving credence to his comments by acknowledging it would only give quade satisfaction and turn this into an immature public spat that only quade can win. ARU is better off ignoring it, not giving him a contract, or another test and stay completely silent about it so that quade doesnt know whats happening. be interesting how he gets himself out of his QLD contract. might have to do a SBW and cut n run
September 25th 2012 @ 7:15am
Sandy said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:15am | Report comment
Thumbs up again.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:32am
brooke48 said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:32am | Report comment
mania,well said
September 25th 2012 @ 9:39am
rl said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:39am | Report comment
ditto from me. Cooper’s antics shouldn’t be dignified with a response.
September 25th 2012 @ 11:29am
sittingbison said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:29am | Report comment
hehe, the “top up” is zero dollars. Then he is screwed.
Seriously though, they will issue a one line statement:
“Player Cooper has brought the ARU and Coach Deans into disrepute, and will no longer be selected for representative rugby”
September 25th 2012 @ 2:36pm
Kuruki said | September 25th 2012 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
Mania is this the same attitude you recommend the establishment at the Waratahs take also? Ignore the issues that are obviously disrupting the team and continue to sing there own praises as the ship is sinking?
Surely i am not the only one who thought there was something wrong in the camp well before Coopers rant. Ignorance wont make the problem go away, and it is not just Cooper whos attitude is currently poor. It is a whole swag of key Wallaby players.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:12pm
soapit said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
right thing to say, wrong timing for mine (right for quade though if he’s wanting to have an excuse to go to league).
September 26th 2012 @ 5:09am
mania said | September 26th 2012 @ 5:09am | Report comment
i agree soapit. its not what he’s said cos that needs to be said but its the timing. this seems like quade serving himself trying to get out of an ARU contract so he can go else where. i dont think anyone in league would have so i’m assuming euro.
kuriki – i dont recommend anything for the tahs. i dont mind the rants, tirades, postulating, i’m a kiwi so dont give sht how the wb’s or tahs dig themselves deeper into the mire. what i do mind is the timing and the extra pressure and wrong media attention that quade is puttinghis teamates thru whilst they do the toughest tour leg of the RC.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:44am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:44am | Report comment
Johnno one frustrating thing with the ARU is that someone like O’Neill can pull off what he does very well. He seems to be a highly effective negotiator and organiser. The new format was planned in a way that won a significantly increased contract, Australia got the team and not South Africa, and the game is run economically while it was once nearly in collapse in financial terms. However, it’s what the ARU and O’Neill DON’T do that is the problem. That is increase the number of Super teams in whatever way to compete more reasonably with the NRL and AFL, introduce a national competition to give more opportunities, bring in private ownership to increase money in the game, spread it through new schools and into new clubs and areas. All this is within the capability of the ARU and JON and he could probably do it all very successfully, and yet nothing is done whatsoever!
September 25th 2012 @ 10:12am
Albo said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:12am | Report comment
The only people capable of making Quade accountable and contrite are the players themselves. As mentioned anything the ARU says will be thrown back in their face. I sense that the rest of the team however will have the maturity to keep to themselves.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:36am
Darwin Stubbie said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:36am | Report comment
What’s wrong with this clown …. If he only kept his mouth shut he’d be back winning the egg and spoon race at wallabies training in no time
September 25th 2012 @ 5:37am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:37am | Report comment
It’s bizarre of Cooper to make these remarks without walking away from rugby in Australia at the same time.
The difference between Cooper and Giteau is that Giteau had been dropped and left out by Deans, rightly too, but had at least some personal motive for criticism even if not a good one. In contrast Deans committed to Cooper by selecting him despite a lack of form and he remains the incumbent 10 so to launch all this criticism when he hasn’t even been dropped is bizarre too.
It is true that Cooper resembles only one other player in this kind of dramatic and prima donna behaviour: Sonny Bill Williams. It also seems that his tweets do not appear to have been conceived personally and so you suspect at least the supremely influential hand of Khoder Nasser behind it, although there is probably an unholy multitude of mysterious paws working their agendas.
Perhaps under the influence of the all-powerful Nasser and the shadowy anti-ARU figures who control his every move, Cooper has been persuaded into action the meaning and consequences of which he is not aware. Sadly for him and Australia he has gone so far over the top that there could well be now way back.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:47am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:47am | Report comment
cmon KPM, Khoder Nasser isnt the boogie man. u cant blame quades stupidity on khoder. khoder specialises in contract negotiations not tweeting
“Cooper has been persuaded into action” yeah right. quade doesnt need persuading to be a dumfk
September 25th 2012 @ 6:43am
Nick said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:43am | Report comment
There is absolutely no comparison to be made between SBW and Cooper. Sonny made one error years ago and has been a consummate professional ever since. Wayne Smith, Henry, Mike Cron and Brad Thorn all labelled him one of the most professional players they’d come across and his improvement while playing the game in NZ showed just how dedicated he was and how hard he worked.
Just because a guy has a flash haircut and earns more than you, he’s not necessarily a prima donna
September 25th 2012 @ 5:56am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:56am | Report comment
mania it’s the want of grey cells in Cooper’s cranium that reveal the tweets were not his conception. The attack on the ARU is too well-targeted to have been thought of let alone written by him.
I just had a look on Cooper’s twitter account, and firstly the inflammatory tweets are far from the only stupid ones, but importantly some have not been deleted so clearly he has chosen the kamikaze route to advance his sporting career.
September 25th 2012 @ 5:59am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 5:59am | Report comment
nah KPM – quade does not need any help being an imbecile. he can fk things fine all on his own.
where are u getting this evidence that he’s not the author of these tweet? thats totally left field and unfounded
September 25th 2012 @ 8:38am
Harry said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Perhaps, but I very much doubt the words “toxic environment” originated in the Quadester’s brain.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:44am
kingplaymaker said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
No, nor the list of different functionaries within the ARU who constitute it.
September 25th 2012 @ 11:32am
sittingbison said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
looking at all his tweets, understanding concepts like “Toxic environment” does seem beyond his mental agility. Its more like “cuzzy Bro letz meat at boozer, ay”
September 25th 2012 @ 6:06am
Damien said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:06am | Report comment
Cooper will end up in France next season. No NRL club will pay top dollar to have him and if he does end up in the Roosters it will be because they were forced to take him or else risk losing SBW.
Cooper might be good mates with SBW but that doesn’tt mean he can just waltz into the NRL on top dollar.
SBW can because he’s an athletic and talented freak. Cooper has good talent but is no world class athlete.
I’ve got nothing against him but he will get throttled in the NRL. He struggles with the collisions in Union which is a worry because the League collisions are much more servere.
The physicality of the NRL will be too much for him to handle IMO. Not saying Union isn’t becasue it is but Union’s physicality is different to League’s.
Guys like Bowen, Barber and Co. who also struggled with the collisions balanced it up with their unbelievable running game which I don’t think Cooper can match.
Its a shame its come to this.
Cooper was good to watch when he was on song..
September 25th 2012 @ 9:37am
Jay said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:37am | Report comment
the chooks may release pearce to go to parra with sticky. you never know.
i’d like to see how cooper go in league. he should play in the halves though, not as a fullback as eddie jones suggested.
September 25th 2012 @ 10:13am
WQ said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
He can’t tackle for goodness sake, where will they hide him on the Rugby League paddock?
With 15 on the paddock you can hide him in defense with 13 on the same size paddock, no hope! He is not worth 5 cents to Rugby league clubs unless they can only get SBW by taking him.
September 25th 2012 @ 3:26pm
rae1 said | September 25th 2012 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
I really think SBW was sincere when he said that it was hard to leave NZ rugby because (in the Chiefs) he had been a part of the best (for him anyway) environment he had ever been part of. He seemed to have found real comraderie and was both appreciated and respected not just as a RU player but also as a fellow professional and more importantly as a person. We all know things can change between now and a possible return to RU and NZ, but I think the pull for SBW to return to that environment and become a first-choice player for the 2015 AB RWC is strong. Whether it remains strong, who knows. SBW has even been quoted as saying he has attempted to lure QC across to league to play with him FOR A YEAR. QC seems to be considering this or at least pretending to be considering this. So what happens to Quade when/if SBW returns to NZ back to where the bromance boys really are? Will QC stay with NRL? Will any NRL team even want him without the rest of the package? If QC is only wanting to play NRL for a year, who would want him or take the risk if he’s only around for a year/season. Its different with SBW- he’s already proven himself.
QC could end up being the albatross round Sonny’s neck if they are both not careful. But… where Sonny is lucky, he has choices, real choices. QC could well be destroying his.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:15pm
soapit said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:15pm | Report comment
he’s kidding himself. even his attacking game doesnt suit league. he’s a long passer and space runner. league backs are shorter, accurate, well timed and selective passers. coopers timing has gone considerably since the start of the world cup. you dont get much space in league.
and thats not even mentioning how his defence will go. barba bowen and co still put their body on the line and make use of what size they have.
September 26th 2012 @ 12:13am
Katipo said | September 26th 2012 @ 12:13am | Report comment
Actually he’ll get more space in league because the defensive line stands ten meters further back behind the ruck than in union. Also there are only 13 defenders in league not 15.
September 26th 2012 @ 5:50pm
soapit said | September 26th 2012 @ 5:50pm | Report comment
lateral space mate, and though there are more players a good few of them are caught up in the ruck.
September 25th 2012 @ 6:11am
Kippa said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:11am | Report comment
Hmmm … I do not want to quit and look bad at the reds, I will make it impossible for the aru to re sign me, thus keeping my finger in the pie once deans is sacked. (two weeks til that happens).
September 25th 2012 @ 6:14am
Ben.S said | September 25th 2012 @ 6:14am | Report comment
It’s pretty illogical to suggest that the environment isn’t toxic (whatever that comment actually specfically referred to) because Australia managed to win two close home games in which they were heavy favourites prior to each Test. The fact that the Wallabies were losing both matches and had to stage a comeback actually suggests that things really aren’t all gravy regardless of what the propaganda machine would like people to think. At the end of the day Deans has now been criticised publicly by two very important Wallabies. When is the last time that happened in Test rugby?
September 25th 2012 @ 7:16am
Riccardo said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:16am | Report comment
I agree with your point Ben.
There appear 2 main threads of discussion; the the understandable frustration of the long-suffering Wallaby fan with Deans, JON and the ARU structure vs the traditionalists who are aghast at the Cooper’s derison of his Coach and Team on the eve of what is a difficult assignment.
I am firmly in the latter camp but would be interested in your opinion.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:33am
Ben.S said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
It certainly isn’t ideal, and it’s arguably not in the spirit of the game, but then players in the amateur era never had access to the same social media that current players do, and so it’s only natural that the occasional player will post things online that he probably shouldn’t, just like so many of us have sent text messages that we regret. Cooper clearly has issues with the way the Wallabies are being handled, just like he stated he had after the WC. I think what he’s trying to put across people would generally agree with, but it’s the way it’s been done. You either nail your flag to a mast like Roy Keane did all those years ago or keep quiet. Cooper hasn’t been disrespectful to his fellow players, but this is more publicity that he doesn’t need right now, especially with his lack of form. Personally I don’t think he’s said anything especially outrageous, but it’s only going to bring more media attention to what the Wallabies are doing regardless of the intent of the Tweets, and the side and Deans can probably do without that.You don’t what the South African media tearing into you tbh. But… that said, it’s just another sideshow to the entire Deans show, so I’m really not that surprised.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:38am
Red Kev said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
The first sentence is the most important. What Cooper said is probably nothing to the bitching about Dwyer that players used to vent down the pub. The difference is social media and the modern media cycle.
The massive over-reaction from posters like KPM and mania is indicative of an ‘old-school’ mindset. I’m not saying it’s wrong necessarily but it is narrow-minded.
September 25th 2012 @ 8:55am
Ben.S said | September 25th 2012 @ 8:55am | Report comment
Matt Dawson and Austin Healey in 2001, Will Carling before them… There’ll always be one or two. I don’t really think it’s that much of an issue because there will always be one ‘eccentric’ character in every side. Cooper is basically saying everything that Stuart Barnes used to say publicly about the RFU during the early to mid-90s. The environment is toxic – Deans didn’t choose any of his new coaches and the Wallabies are not playing well, and haven’t been for a while. Obviously some posters struggle to own that reality. Same ol’ characters.
September 25th 2012 @ 9:16pm
garth said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:16pm | Report comment
Every England player in the Lions when Henry was the coach…
September 25th 2012 @ 9:01am
mania said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:01am | Report comment
redKev – just would like to define my narrowmindedness. i’m all about the team, dont care about deans or the aru i’m a team man first. whenever i suited up i always played for my brothers in my colours.
i’ve been impressed with cooper since his comeback from injury. however this distraction for the team when they face the toughest leg of the RC is unacceptable. cooper should’ve aired all this last week or in 2 weeks from now. but right now when they prepare to play the hardest country to tour in the one of the most unforgiving stadiums in the world is not thinking about your team mates.
i dont care what cooper said i’m jsut dispointed with his timing and stupidity
September 25th 2012 @ 9:36am
bigbaz said | September 25th 2012 @ 9:36am | Report comment
It may well be Mania that he has been complaining through the correct channels and getting no response.These to me are the actions of a frustrated man.
September 25th 2012 @ 10:22am
Red Kev said | September 25th 2012 @ 10:22am | Report comment
If the team environment is toxic you don’t do the team any favours by not saying anything.
September 25th 2012 @ 11:40am
sittingbison said | September 25th 2012 @ 11:40am | Report comment
frustrated maybe. But the end result is a given. Making the comments spells the end of his rugby career in Australia.
Is it really up to Cooper to be the Spartacus of Australian Rugby? If there is team wide dissatisfaction with Deans, then is really should be up to a senior player preferably in the leadership, and designated by all the players. Cooper does not fit the bill in any circumstance.
September 25th 2012 @ 2:45pm
Jagman said | September 25th 2012 @ 2:45pm | Report comment
Riccardo your two main themes seem to fall hand in hand with two main groups i.e. Reds supporters who are seeing the writing on the wall for next season and non-Reds supporters who couldn’t care less if Cooper goes to League.
September 25th 2012 @ 7:18pm
soapit said | September 25th 2012 @ 7:18pm | Report comment
can i be in both camps? they dont seem mutually exclusive.