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Why is Quade Cooper not in Robbie Dean’s thirty man squad for the upcoming Lions tour?
The simple answer? He is immature and confused.
There is no doubt that he is one of the most talented players in rugby today. He is mercurial in the mould of the great All Black, Carlos Spencer, who was either loved or hated depended upon which part of New Zealand you lived in.
Carlos had the same unpredictable quality that Cooper has, with many never knowing what he will do next.
This placed uncertainty in his oppositions minds, (and in many in his own team players as well) but this loose cannon mercurial skill won many games for the team he was playing in at the time.
Cooper, when at his best does exactly the same thing Spencer did, and is the sixteenth player on the field when on song, but again like Spencer, he has not matured mentally from sheer talent he has to matured guile.
His exclusion from the Wallaby thirty-man training squad is by direct result.
Not of how well he plays on the field, but the way he annoys people when trying to get on it. Spencer alienated himself from many Kiwis none more so than during the Blues win over the Crusaders in the Super 12 game of February 2004.
He had not endeared himself to half the country by snuggling up to the new All Black coach, John Mitchell and ejecting Andrew Mehrtens from the Rugby World Cup squad of 2003.
At the Rugby World Cup of 2003 he threw the loose pass that was intercepted by Stirling Mortlock, an action that decided the match and took the highly fancied All Blacks from likely winners to third place.
Both Spencer and Mitchell were fired by the New Zealand Rugby Union not long after.
When one looks at Cooper, the parallels are the same.
Cooper’s Rugby World Cup 2011 appearances for Australia were marred by not only the fact that he was a “Kiwi born” playing for Australia, but his pre-World Cup treatment of Richie McCaw did no endear himself to the hugh New Zealand crowds.
Had he had the maturity to simply say “sorry Ritchie” prior to the Rugby World Cup, it would have all blown away after the first All Black game he played.
It takes a long time to forgive and forget if you don’t.
Cooper has unpredictable abilities and talent, but has too much attitude.
His aggressive thinking game, combined with his skills make him stand out as a player, but the lack of humility and never saying sorry, leaves him out in the cold.
The belief held by some players and the attitude they portray inferring that they are bigger than the game, for example by suggesting to coaches that their team is toxic, does not build good relationships within the side.
Then going on to spit the dummy and threaten moves to rugby league and boxing only serve to rub salt into the wounds.
Sorry Quade, you cannot just sit back and wait to be invited into the team. You won’t be. You need to mature a lot more.
However should Quade Cooper take a big bite out of the big humble pie, remove the log of wood from his shoulder and throw away his very wet hanky, Deans would have him back like a shot.
To wait for Deans to leave the Wallabies and for McKenzie to arrive, may take some time yet, and all the while that wonderful and exciting talent wastes away.
As a last gasp option to everyone’s benefit and in the hope it gets through your head Quade, a quick phone call from one Kiwi expat in Aussie to another in South Africa, Carlos will tell you just how far pig headedness gets you.
You are not only hurting yourself and the Wallaby team, but the Australian rugby fans too.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.