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Quade Cooper has become rugby's Usman Khawaja

4th February, 2016
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Quade Cooper is back in Australia. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Expert
4th February, 2016
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New Australian Sevens coach Andy Friend has left Wallaby Quade Cooper out of his squad for this weekend’s sold-out World Series tournament in Sydney.

“Quade is an exceptional footballer and has shown real character to put his hand up and say I want to be a part of the team,” Friend said.

“Quade will get his opportunities during the series.”

There are two problems with the coach’s thinking.

Firstly, Toulon has only allowed Cooper three tournaments before the Rio Olympics – Friend has blown one.

More importantly, Cooper’s rugby brains, sparkling footwork, and use of the bigger field with only seven players a side, far outweighs anyone else in the Australian squad by the length of the field.

Australia has only one devastating footballer on duty this weekend – 22-year-old powerhouse flyer Allan Fa’alava’au.

There’s nobody in the squad capable of cutting Fa’alava’au loose to strut his stuff – Cooper would, especially as every opponent would be watching the former Reds playmaker like a hawk.

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The perfect scenario, but Friend has seen fit to ignore the obvious.

Having watched the Australians in action in Dubai, Cape Town, and Wellington in the first three of ten tournaments leading into Rio, the Thunderbolts are well off the pace of South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, England, and the USA.

I wouldn’t back Australia to beat Kenya, or Argentina either.

Australia (ranked 7) has been drawn in Pool A with New Zealand (3), Canada (12), and Portugal (16).

Pool B is South Africa (1), Kenya (8), Scotland (10), and Russia (15).

Australia should finish second in their pool and meet South Africa in the quarters, making the plate the Australians’ highest realistic achievement.

Pool C is Fiji (2), Argentina (5), France (9), and Samoa (11).

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And Pool D is England (4), USA (6), Wales (13), and Japan (14).

All up, there will be 45 games over the weekend – a smorgasbord of rugby at pace.

The Australian 12-man squad is Henry Hutchison, Tom Kingston, Sam Meyers, Lewis Holland, James Stannard, Con Foley, Cameron Clark, Greg Jeloudev, Ed Jenkins (c), Allan Fa’alava’au, Henry Speight, and Tom Cusack.

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