Booing Quade Cooper at ANZ Stadium last Saturday night didn’t achieve anything. It’s a hangover from Hong Kong in 2010.
In that match, Cooper shoved All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw by the head after James O’Connor has scored a last-minute try, then converted it from touch for a 26-24 victory.
There were a couple of brushes between the two until the one the Kiwi fans were booing at ANZ, the alleged kneeing of McCaw by Cooper at Suncorp in 2011 in the Tri-Nations decider.
Cooper was cited and found not guilty of any wrong-doing, but in many of the Kiwi fans’ eyes, he was in the wrong and should have been suspended.
That spilled over into the Rugby World Cup, and judging from last Saturday night, the anti-Cooper feeling is still there.
Which translates to something far bigger in Wellington next Saturday night, which looms as a sell-out.
Get over it Kiwis, get a life. Something tells me that won’t happen.
Now if the Wallaby fans were booing Colin Meads for purposely ripping Wallaby legend Ken Catchpole in half at the SCG in 1968 to end his magnificent career, I would lead the protesters.
What compounded the disgrace, Dr Roger Vanderfield was the referee, Meads wasn’t even penalised and it happened right in front of Vanderfield. Years later Meads was knighted, one of rugby’s blackest moments.
It would be like knighting Richard Loe for deliberately smashing Wallaby winger Paul Carozza’s nose all over his face when the Australian scored in a 1992 Bledisloe.
What Cooper did to McCaw was puerile compared to Meads and Loe. But when fans get a bee under their bonnet, there’s not much that can be done to stop it.
Just as a matter of interest, I surfed the internet to find other “hated” sportsmen, and came up with four shocks – Lleyton Hewitt, Phil Mickelson, Kobe Bryant, and Barry Bonds.
We know Hewitt as a 100 percenter on court, with a huge heart. When he’s won or done, there’s nothing left in the tank.
But Hewitt was taken to the cleaners by Mary Carillo, former circuit player, and now an outstanding television commentator.
“Hewitt drives the guys crazy. They try to ignore him, but he’s always barking on the other side of the net”.
Hewitt has had many run-ins with Argentinians, mainly Juan Ignacio Chela, who shouldered Hewitt on a changeover and spat on him during the 2005 Australian Open,
But it’s Chela’s Davis Cup mate Guillerno Coria who dropped the bucket on the Aussie,
“Hewitt is disliked by every other player on the international circuit”.
Don’t know about you Roarers, but that comment doesn’t equate to me.
Nor does the vitriol thrown at Phil Mickelson, one of the few golfers who spends up to two hours every day signing autographs for adults and kids alike.
“That’s all part of the sham, the big smile and the preening, which is why his nickname on tour is FIGJAM – f*** I’m good, just ask me,” said a tour pro who wasn’t named.
Basketball legend Kobe Bryant was taken to the cleaners as well, this time by Greg Anthony, former NBA player and now ESPN analyst.
“He’s a very selfish player, he’s only for himself, and has always been accused of not endearing himself to team-mates”.
And Barry Bonds, who for 22 years played Major League Baseball always with a bad attitude, with a record 742 home runs, and a litany of run-ins with most people, including the law.
For the majority of those 22 years, Bonds was the undisputed winner of the MDP award – the Most Despised Player.
So Quade, you are not in that league, so just get on with it, and start winning some games for the Wallabies – boos and all.
Xiedazhou
Guest
I think its quite apt to mention those guys actually. Particularly Meads, whose brutish behaviour on the field wasnt restricted to ending Catchpole's career, and significantly impacting his life after rugby. Yet Meads is venerated in the Hobbit Isles, but Cooper, who made accidental contact with McCaw is villified. Pathetic really.
Xiedazhou
Guest
Well maybe in your homeland, you Kiwis can behave as you wish. In someone else's country Kiwis should show some respect towards the host nation and its representatives.... And for all those arguing that the Coopers knee made contact with McCaws head, therefore he was guilty, how about McCaw's kneeing of Parra? Much more force, and detrimental effect there?
Joan Matthews
Guest
I was at the game last week when Quade was booed, I sitting in an area that were mainly Wallaby supporters and just as many of them booed Quade Cooper. So you cant say it was all kiwis booing him.
daz
Guest
Which one, rowing or sailing?
daz
Guest
Like all The Australians living in England who support The Poms against all but The Wallabies you mean?
DMC
Guest
Jiggles, that's what you get for lurking around nana plaza, cowboy, and pat pong. You of course, must have been the exception to the rule...
MosmanBrumby
Guest
So many people including the media forget that it was sir Richie earlier in the Hong Kong game in 2010 that started the whole childish fight by kicking cooper in the testicles, pretty low act if u ask me, after he cleaned him out! These things happen in a split second as a part of the game! But we have gotten over so NZ get over and move on!
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
Ok Zakkaz, now that Taylor has been named @ number 10 for the All Blacks, I'll take that All Blacks-to-win-by-20pts bet. With a slight variation. Make it TWO bottles - IF YOU WIN, I buy you TWO bottles of $50 (or $5 max unders) Pinot Noir................. If I WIN, you get me TWO $50 bottles of RED ( one Shiraz, the other I'll nominate after I've won)......................... how are you gonna get it across the ditch? - drink them, then put a note in the bottles & launch in my direction? ................. best (maybe) if we WAIT until one of us heads in the others direction. I wouldn't trust Spiro to bring it over - it would be drunk b4 he touched down :) (old Island Bay trick)
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
The worse red wine I have ever tasted is under the BANROCK STATION logo - it's absolutely PUTRID & should only be used to flavour pigs swill. Every time I see it in the supermarket shelves, I shudder & quickly move on.
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
incl previous generations of Kiwis too; too many Pom unionists stirring things up in the 70s & actually runing the econmy in the process............. heavens forbid, but they're still out there whingeing.
Zero Gain
Guest
Ra, I think its actually your comment that adds nothing, buddy.
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
YES frisky, I'm afraid that those type of crowds are a thing of the past. Spiro will tell you that both Athletic Park & Basin Reserve (in Wellington) in the 60s, 70s & 80s were the epitome of good sportmanship and polite applause for both home & opposition sides. In fact, I'd venture to say that Athletic Park crowds were the fairest in NZ & the least partisan............... Which is probably WHY Wellington hasn't seen the Ranfurly Shield since 1984, hardly any NPC Winners Spoils nor any Super XV (12 or 10) Championship ever.......... they lack passion (of Canterbury, Taranaki, waikato & northland) & bloodymindedness
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
It's a lay down misere, Atlas........ though probably not as much as 28pts; maybe 18pts same margin as Sydney? Much more fun having some lighthearted digs/Booooos at the Roooooos. I suspect it may get more serious/in depth starting tomorrow/Thursday :)
Aaron
Guest
Wow, man up will you. I think it's rich when the most hypocritical nation, known for their boofhead and bogan antics towards opposition sportspeople, such as Murali and Hadlee for example start lecturing others about sportsmanship.
dezzy10
Guest
Well if you lot were more humble in victory and gracious in defeat rather than cocky in victory and excuses in defeat then we would stop. You guys like to wind us up and this is how we return the favour. You always bring up the booing topic whenever you guys lose. You try to deflect the fact the disappointing performance from your team.
Andrew C (waikato)
Guest
Hey Riccardo, is that where all those heaps of newly weds are honeym00ning as we type - Mounting Gay? :)
Dally M
Guest
So now you are going back to a year before the booing started to support your argument that the booing has put him off. Clutch at straws much? And on top of that you are alos obviously a mind read because you can tell us all about how Quade is playing under pressure since 2011, nothing to do with the fact he missed half of 2012 due to a knee reconstruction, that the Reds have not played well all year, or that Cooper himself has said it doesn't bother him.. It's simply the booing that is getting to him, even when he is playing here in Australia or in South Africa when there is no one booing, he must just be hearing it all the way from the NZ.
justsaying
Guest
Yep, if booing was ruining my game that's what I'd say too.
justsaying
Guest
Cooper hasn't played well against the ABs since Hong Kong 2010, which I believe is when he committed the first of his cheap shots against McCaw. Since 2011 he has continued to turn in poor performances against the ABs, when he hasn't been injured or dropped for his attitude problems. You are right that he participated in a poor Reds performance where they beat the struggling Highlanders by a single point, and he actually played quite well against the Chiefs, but I don't recall any booing in either of those games and it's not mentioned in any media reports I've been able to find. Generally, Cooper has cut the figure of a player under pressure since the RWC, and he's gotten nowhere near the form of Super Rugby 2011, which is arguably the last time he wasn't booed. But I guess you might be right - it could just as easily be explained by suggesting that he's just not that good any more...
riccardo
Guest
Oh David. Another opportunity to out yourself as a hack successfully achieved. Kudos. Zak, I know you guys needs to drum up the comments but such one-sided self-serving inaccuracy does this site no favours. Disappointing.