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Quade Cooper was, from a Wallaby point of view, the biggest disappointment of the last Rugby World Cup, sadly limping away from the campaign with his tail tucked behind his busted knee.
Selected by Michael Cheika on the bench for this weekend’s fixture against Wales, an opportunity to steal first choice 10 Bernard Foley’s starting jersey is beckoning.
Cooper has a very real chance of redemption at Rugby World Cup 2015, to become to the Wallabies what Mitchell Johnson became to the Australian cricket team during the last Ashes series.
I hear the concerted sighs from south of the border – yes, Bernard Foley has been solid for the Wallabies, but is he the man to help hold aloft the William Webb Ellis trophy?
Foley is akin to the Wallabies backline what Peter Siddle is to the Australian bowling attack. You will get 100 per cent and he will never let you down.
It can be argued that solid, no nonsense flyhalves win World Cups aka Grant Fox, Michael Lynagh, Joel Stransky, Johnny Wilkinson and Stephen Donald (by default).
The only one I would paint with the razzle dazzle adjective would be Stephen Larkham. Larkham was prominent in an exceptional backline where every single player was a dangerous, world-class player.
We can go with the safe bet – in 99 it would have been Rod Kafer – or we can put defence testing players in all positions.
Michael Cheika now has this backline ‘cattle’ at his disposal – Tevita Kuridrani, Henry Speight, Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Joe Tomane, Christian Lealiifano and dare I say Kurt Beale, James O’Connor and possibly even Karmichael Hunt.
Let’s not go with the safe option, let’s select a backline that can destroy opposition defences.
A backline using this blueprint would be more than formidable and would look like this.
9. Will Genia – hopefully at full fitness and match confidence. He has the best pass in the game and when the box kick is removed from the armoury one of the most dangerous attacking halfbacks in world rugby. 2015’s George Gregan.
10. Quade Cooper – taking the ball to the line combined with pinpoint well timed passes plus using the cut – out pass a little more sparingly. Our Stephen Larkham.
11. Adam Ashley-Cooper – one of the best finishers in the game and mr consistent of the Australian backline. Can sniff out the tryline where most others fall short. Ben Tune version 2015.
12. Matt Toomua – brick-wall defence, tough as teak and an excellent foil to the playmaker inside him. Running good lines and able to break tackles and link with outside support makes Matt Toomua our Tim Horan.
13. Tevita Kuridrani – human battering ram and muscle in defence. Running one off, being put into gaps by well timed cutouts or simply off the shoulder of his inside centre bruising opposition defensive lines, Kuridrani is our Daniel Hebert.
14. James O’Connor – excellent footwork and the ability to sneak through gaps and create something from nothing. Subtle chip and chase game making him our Joe Roff.
15. Israel Folau – unmatched skills under the highball, speed, power and x-factor. If anything, Israel Folau is Matt Burke with a V8 engine, slightly improving on his ’99 counterpart.
There are of course a number of quality permutations. Speight, Beale, Tomane, Lealiifano are all players that have special attributes. Flyhalf is arguably the most important key to the Wallaby backline puzzle.
After a successful 2013 Spring tour combination with Matt Toomua end of last year, Quade Cooper, Ewen McKenzie and the Wallabies promised so much leading into the 2014 rugby season.
I do not wish to enter into the Ewen McKenzie – Kurtley Beale debate, I do not know all the facts. The only fact I know is that Ewen is no longer the coach and Michael Cheika has taken the reins.
As a longtime Reds fan, I have taught myself to look at positives after disappointing campaigns, and one of the biggest positives I felt from this season was the further maturing of Quade Cooper as a backline leader.
I believe that the Queensland backline was let down by a forward pack lacking the grunt and mongrel that took teams like the Waratahs to higher honours.
It can be argued that depth was also tested by the horrific run of injuries to key backs, least of which was one Will Genia not playing at 100 per cent. This did no favours for the mercurial flyhalf, the stars truly not aligning for what promised to be a breakthrough season which instead ending with shoulder surgery.
Coach Cheika has impressed so far with his selections and there seems to be a process where players are being given fair opportunities to show their wares at the top level.
This Spring tour promises to show what direction the team selections will be going in – the lifeline given to former stars Genia and Cooper two of the biggest points of interest that I am sure will create healthy debate.
The bottom line is, if these two players are at the top of the game, Webb Ellis could well be getting a third set of Wallaby fingerprints on it come October 2015.
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.