Quade Cooper will be playing rugby union in Australia next year, but the former Wallabies playmaker is yet to commit to a Super Rugby team for the 2017 season.
Cooper signed a three-year deal with the ARU and while he is leaning towards linking up with his former club the Queensland Reds, the uncertainty surrounding the team’s head coach has caused him to wait before signing for the side.
“I’m swaying towards playing in Queensland but I’ve got to make an educated decision,” Cooper said to the Courier Mail on Wednesday.
“Obviously, who is to coach the Reds is a big thing because you don’t want to make a call on whispers one way or the other.”
The Reds sacked coach Richard Graham earlier in the year after a dreadful start to the Super Rugby season, replacing him on an interim basis with co-coaches Matt O’Connor and Nick Stiles.
O’Connor is believed to be Cooper’s preference to take the head role at the Reds, while Stiles and current Crusader coach Todd Blackadder are also in the running for the gig.
Despite missing the finals once again this season, the Reds’ future is looking promising following a number of key signings. Wallabies captain Stephen Moore will join Queensland from the Brumbies at the end of this season, and former Wallaby George Smith is also returning to Australia, in his case from playing in England.
The addition of Cooper to that group of new players would vastly improve the Reds’ chances of a successful Super Rugby campaign in 2017.
“They are excellent players, there is a foundation of good young guys at the Reds and the last piece is a good culture which is the glue for everything,” Cooper said of the new recruits.
“I’m 28 and I don’t want to waste another day of my career because of my own doing or someone else.
However, should Cooper decide against re-joining the Queensland outfit, the Melbourne Rebels are looming as a legitimate second option.
“The Rebels have been professional and just said if something is going to draw you away from Queensland, it’s what we can offer as a rugby program.”
Cooper left the ARU at the end of 2015 for a lucrative stint in France with Toulon. However, after struggling for consistent playing time at his new club, Cooper announced his departure last week.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I agree there are appropriate channels. What nobody knows is if he attempted to take this up by them. Hence why I said if social media was his first port of call that is absolutely not acceptable.
RubberLegs
Guest
Richie got what he deserved. The Australian fans who criticize Quade must be high on the naphthalene in their Op-shop tweed jackets.
Chivas
Guest
TWAS you are reaching there. Read your own posts and tell me how you are NOT defending or justifying Quade's response via social media. You are entitled to ask what you like. But Quade's poor choices don't have anything to do with the questions you are asking. Especially considering, you asking the questions is not in any way justifying or defending Quade.... because of course that is not what you are attempting to do. Regardless of the fact that my first comment was about Quade acting childishly and you rushing in to suggest it was... well whatever you think it was. So now you agree that it is childish to respond via social media that the environment is toxic as the team is preparing to play SA.? Or are you denying it and defending him? And regardless of what enamoured fans like you think, you would never see Dean's, McCaw or any of the players you use in suggesting Quade's response was somehow reasonable and appropriate respond in the same way Quade did. And if you think there are parallels between what McCaw wrote in his book and Quade.... Well I am at a loss for words. As I say even Quade has come out and suggested his choices weren't the best and that he has grown up... but here you are still suggesting otherwise and questioning others. My view is simply there are appropriate channels and ones that a child throwing a tantrum might take... I will leave it there as I don't think you seem to appreciate the difference.
RubberLegs
Guest
Yes - some very nice touches by Quade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2SE4rWxBVM
Charlie Turner
Guest
The old "I'm not your mate" retort.....classic stuff. Give up TWAS, you can't compete with that level of dialogue.
Chivas
Guest
and TWAS, maybe you could lower your opinion of yourself and your opinions just a bit in order to allow others to niggle and engage each other... But then again maybe that's not the way you run.
Chivas
Guest
I'm not your mate TWAS and I find it funny you and others giving lectures on bias. i am sure Handles can speak on his own behalf, but as usual you take it upon yourself. Keep up the goiod work. you are a gem.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I think Carter is the best example of how much a player can be impacted by consecutive injuries. And also how much a player's form can improve if he does get past that.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Clearly you're the one with the bias mate. The entire comment by handles was sarcastically pointing out all are basically within the range of the entire professional rugby community. I.e. He literally said nothing about Cooper either way. But you fell for it hook, line and sinker.
Jerry
Guest
Yep, fair comment.
Chivas
Guest
Whatever you say Handles. Glad to see another valuable and insightful contribution. So his passes which hit dirt are because nobody catches then even if they land a good metre from them. Ok. His clearance stronger than all those guys added together. He must kick like a mule. Izzy Dagg better watch for him. Maybe he might grab some pointers hey. And his commitment in contact is just south of McMahon. A real Henri Honnibal by the sounds. Glad to see your own biases aren't tempering your views any. Hope Quade can handle all your love. Especially as untempered as it is.
Handles
Roar Guru
How many passes of Coopers goes to ground? ---- Total passes thrown, less passes caught = passes going to ground. You should know that. How committed is he in and around the contact zone? ----- Less committed than Sean McMahon, more committed than 99.8% of Roar contributors. (Topo wrote for the Roar once, he was pretty committed. I think Poido contributed once as well? Clyde Rathbone was a bit of a devil in contact, and I know he wrote a few times.) How weak is his clearance kick? ------ Foley's clearance kick strength, plus Folau's, plus McIntyre's, plus Toomua, plus 12 = Quade's Clearance kick strength. (or 1 divided by his weakness, if that plays to your prejudices better)
soapit
Guest
i don htink his form in 2015 rc needed an excuse. he did ok but not well enough to unseat the incumbent. really it was his goal kicking that cost him and that can be an elsuive trait for many (see foleys current troubles). toulon i havent watched him. the european style of game was never going to be his best fit and whether quade knows it he plays better when he has confidence of the coaching staff fail or not which moving around to new teams isnt the best way to get. not an excuse, if he played badly then he played badly but i dont think it makes him a bad payer. 2011 he had a reasonable year in internationals outside of the wc. 2012 i dont really recall too well. but thought he didnt play much. you say 14 weeks, is that 14 games? quick check of wikipedia seems he only played about 5 super games, interesting that his wiki page seems to have been edited by a kiwi with 2011 reading " It would seem that Karma saw to it that the injury was to the same knee that he had used previously to smash the All Black skipper's face."
Boz the Younger
Guest
He is entitled to seek the best deal for himself, like anybody in their job.
Boz the Younger
Guest
Pocock is a one trick pony, Cooper has a few more skills to maintain so injury is going to affect his game more severely.
Boz the Younger
Guest
The scrum is the best in the comp and the lineout is up there too. Stiles has done his job and coached Brisbane City well too, with a decent backs coach he would be a good head coach.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I'd agree. Dan went through quite a rough form patch as well until he managed to consistently play consecutive games didn't he? It's almost as though his form was affected until he managed to play long stretches injury free. Funny that.
jutsie
Guest
so in November 2012 (the date of the article you linked) when cooper was struggling with form following his knee reco and had just announced on tv that he wouldnt wear the "yellow" jumper as long as deans was coach you want us to believe the only reason hawker and the ARU were playing hardball with his wallaby top up contract was due to a hatred of queensland? righttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
RubberLegs
Guest
Read this and get back on your medication http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/reds-wont-give-up-on-quade-cooper-as-michael-hawker-intervenes-in-aru-contract-spat/story-e6frg7o6-1226521541444
Jerry
Guest
I suspect Dan Carter's injury list would beat Quade's. Just off the top of my head, broken leg (x2), ruptured Achilles, groin injury. A bunch of season ending injuries, two of them during RWC campaigns