European champions Toulon will be looking to maverick fly-half Quade Cooper to kick-start their French rugby season at home to Montpellier on Saturday.
The reigning three-time European champs come into the Top 14 clash in eighth place having lost four of their opening seven matches.
The big-spending giants’ squad was ravaged by World Cup absences during the first part of the season but will be able to count on Cooper this weekend.
Cooper’s Australian teammate Matt Giteau has been given time off to recover from his World Cup exploits, Frenchman Frederic Michalak is injured and South African Willie du Plessis is on his way to second-division Bayonne after his short-term contract as World Cup cover ended.
It leaves former Queensland Red Cooper as the only senior specialist fly-half in Toulon’s ranks.
And his inclusion could not come soon enough with the team already 11 points behind Top 14 leaders Clermont.
Cooper only made one appearance at the World Cup as Bernard Foley’s impressive form kept him inactive – he didn’t even make the 23-man squad for last weekend’s final against the All Blacks.
“I wish it was Saturday today and I could strap on the boots and run out to play today,” he said when presented to the media on Tuesday.
“I just want to get out there and do it. It also helps having such world class players around you.”
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal claimed on Thursday that he would quit if the team does not finish in the top six, and thus reach the end of season play-offs.
While Boudjellal, as is often his want, no doubt was merely trying to make headlines, the chances of his team remaining outside the leading places for much longer is very slim.
New Zealand’s World Cup winners have mostly been given more time off than everyone else but Toulon will eventually be able to count on Ma’a Nonu in their midfield that already boasts Frenchmen Mathieu Bastareaud and Maxime Mermoz, as well as the versatile Giteau.
South African pair Bryan Habana and Duane Vermeulan, as well as Wallabies James O’Connor and Drew Mitchell would also come in at some point to bolster the Toulon armada.
Cooper isn’t the only returning World Cup star likely to line up against fourth-placed Montpellier as Argentina flanker Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe should start with Georgia prop Levan Chilachava set to take his place on the bench.
deanB
Guest
Succinctly put Stu,B. A couple of my favourite Quadie memories involve him putting massive sidesteps on Ma'a Nonu which would have been all the more impressive if Quadie had been in possession of the ball at the time. Thankfully though it looks like the horrible era for Wallaby rugby is ending thanks to that horrible bloke Cheika.
soapit
Guest
so in this fantasy qc never plays well. ever. try looking at both sides of the coin.
Bakkies
Guest
Not a bad start for Quad in his first game in a month and just four sessions for Toulon. Switched it over to Cardiff v Glasgow. Nakawara reaches over the top of the ruck ball in one hand to score a clean try. Nayavaro playing well and looks like he has been enjoying his deep fried Scottish food
vic rugby
Guest
Cant wait for qc to find form and play well . been waiting for a few years now but surely he will be good soon . No real involvement in the rwc but i keep hearing how good he is
Not Bothered
Guest
A mix of good and bad for QC in the first half. Created a try for his team, created a try for their team. Showed his brilliance and his flaws. Not a bad start I guess.
Bakkies
Guest
Turner has double meat at half time. Apart from throwing an intercept off a one hand pass and kicking on a 4 v 2 Cooper has looked sharp.
Brawlsinmauls
Guest
Cheers lads
Not Bothered
Guest
Moderated. Not the type of comment we want to see.
Not Bothered
Guest
Eurosport cover a few games each week. Usually Toulon, Clermont, Racing, Satde, Toulouse etc are the teams they pick to cover. BeIN covers the Aviva and the H Cup.
Not Bothered
Guest
Here see? Jacky is a classic example of a QC supporter. He blames everyone else for QCs shortcommings. Sure Jacky, its all other peoples fault. QC seemed to man up, defend in the front line, accept his faults etc. Now if only his fans would.
Not Bothered
Guest
Exactly. Its very annoying that people dont look at the big picture. There are probably more French players pl aying professional rugby than Australians. 14 teams have on ave about 20 French players in their squad. Thats 280 players in Frances top comp. Aus has about 185 in its top comp.
Not Bothered
Guest
Tbh that hardly happens at all. QC will play badly and some acknowledge it and others try to deny it. Then the people who try to deny and deflect make sad and pathetic claims that QC is picked on. QC was not in great form this year and its extremely frustrating that in a game where QC misses 2 out of 3 highballs, turns the ball over, passes the ball over the sideline, gets a yellow, gives away a penalty try, creates no line breaks, doesnt break the line him self that people actually try to say he was good. Then on top of that, when people say he had a shocker, guys like you try to say QC is being unfairly targeted. He isnt. So as I said, when QC plays badly some see it and some deny it. A very tiny % are being unreasonable and the vast majority of media love QC.
Bakkies
Guest
I think he will flourish as an individual over in Toulon and it's good for Aus Rugby that him, Giteau, O'Connor, Mitchell and Turner are at the same club. There's a young Aussie Situani I think his name is who has played games at flyhalf and fullback will really benefit from working with Cooper and Giteau. Toulon have put a mix and match squad out for this match. With young players on the bench. Montpellier have Ben Lucas starting at flyhalf.
Bakkies
Guest
Sky are covering this game so there will be an English feed. I think BeIN or Eurosport have the Aus rights
Bakkies
Guest
Bordeaux, Montpellier, Castres, Racing and Paris have good French talent but PSA chose to ignore that. As far as I know only three Paris players made the RWC squad
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Hope he does well for himself, with that said I also hope he's nowhere near the Wallaby jersey again; with Foley the confirmed first choice and Toomua seemingly assigned to 12 in the international setting, Jack Debreczeni seems the logical next choice to build to the next world cup.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Nah I don't think he would have been confused at all. Apart from the Scotland game, Toomua entered the fray around the same mark in the important matches. England - 64min Wales - 66min Argentina - 64min NZ - 65min I mean, sure, it's not bang on the 60min mark, but pretty sure he would have known his role once on.
Dave
Guest
I'm not too sure... Toomua must confused about what the new definition of 'finisher' is for example. 2 months ago that meant coming on after 60mins to finish a match. In the WC it meant come on only when a starting player was finished for the game...
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Well it's up to QC to perform. If he is killing it over there, I'm pretty sure the 2 games short of 60 will be ignored. Cheik is pretty simple in his approach, if he says he likes QC then he does.
Fox
Roar Guru
He has to come back to Australia for a season first because he has only played 58 tests so does not fit the overseas player criteria and anyway i think Cheika's blow about getting Quade back was smoke screen - If he REALLY though he was that good for the Wallabies he would have used him more than once