Quade Cooper will only “enhance” the Wallabies’ chances after his shock selection at five-eighth for Saturday’s second Bledisloe Cup Test in Wellington, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says.
Cooper has been thrown into the No.10 jersey for his first match at international level since last year’s World Cup, replacing Bernard Foley, who moves to inside centre to replace Matt Giteau (ankle).
The 28-year-old has a patchy record in New Zealand, where he has been booed mercilessly by local supporters and targeted by the All Blacks as a weak link in defence.
But Hansen offered something of a defence of Cooper when asked for his view of the selection.
“Quade’s a good player. He gets maligned a wee bit over here because of a few incidents with Richie (McCaw),” Hansen told reporters.
“We’re not too forgiving of people who pick on Rich – I’m talking about the fans.
“Within the team he’s well respected. He’ll enhance them, I think.”
Hansen – who, along with McCaw, called for New Zealand fans to get over their hatred of Cooper last year – expects the Wallabies will look to kick more and play a territory game as a result of his selection.
All Blacks five-eighth Beauden Barrett hopes a sold-out Westpac Stadium takes it easy on Cooper.
“He’s a good bloke and he deserves to be treated like anyone else,” Barrett said.
“I haven’t seen him play for a while but what we remember of him is his skills, his fast feet, he’s a really good stepper. We’ll analyse his kicking.”
Australia hasn’t won in New Zealand since 2001 and are the biggest outsiders in Bledisloe Cup history this week, but Hansen is bracing for the “kitchen sink” to be thrown their way.
“If we don’t have an attitude that we want to go and put two hands on the cup by taking it, if we wait and sit back, Australia will smack us,” he said.
“Then we’ll be in trouble.”
Steve Wright
Guest
Stop looking in the mirror HiKa - you'll feel better then.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I never wanted Quade to start. I didn't want him in the wallaby squad this year actually.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
If an analogy involving people with trisomy 21 failing in a public performance gets you laughing, I pity you. You're a sad human being with a very narrow view of the world.
ClarkeG
Guest
And he might say the feeling is mutual :-) - if he knew you.
ebop
Guest
Nice bit of Australian superiority complex there Jake Clap...clap.......clap
PeterK
Roar Guru
don't you mean foley all year
hhmmm
Guest
that was foley last week
SandBox
Roar Guru
There's enough info out there to treat anything Hansen says with a grain of salt.
Jake
Guest
Ironic boos.What lame excuse. kiwis wouldn't understand irony even if they looked it up in the dictionary.
Steve Wright
Guest
No doubt about it Ronaldo - accurate description and effective phraseology are the keystones of good communication and I reckon Straya had it right. I fell off my chair laughing.
Jacko
Guest
Cheika should be in the last throes of desperation. He has the worst start to the season of any Wallaby coach EVER at 4 losses and needs something to save his career. If I was Cooper I would tell Cheika to stick the start up you know where as Cheika only seems to pick him to play the ABs in NZ which is already an impossible task to win Cooper is a better option than Foley? dont know but Foley has had a go and failed miserably so time to try a different approach
Jacko
Guest
Straya, that was Cheika's response last week. Hansen said something positive and Cheika went off on some rant about what the ABs think about the Aus team. Now Hansen is saying something positive about the Aus team selected for this week and you are off again on some massive conspiracy theory that he actually means something totally different to what he said. Is that the Australian way to take as much offence as possible no matter what is the actual truth?
Jacko
Guest
And yet apparently the State of Origin is a wonderful game and the pinnicle of sport world wide yet one side has won 10 out of past 11 series.
Tissot Time
Guest
There's another player with something to prove that may look to drive his bus through the 10 chanel.
woodart
Guest
you dont get it. we dont go to watch the opposition, we go to watch the All Blacks.
soapit
Roar Guru
i think they did anlyse his kicking game. more then one opposition team has built their strategy around it.
taylorman
Guest
Think you'll find there will be a list after this match Train. You get your wish to see Quade back at start but I don't think you're going to enjoy his performance. He's not ready for the pressure and attention he will get. Especially after not playing in the SH this year. Under pressure Cooper can be awful so this match is career defining for him. ...just to pile on more pressure of course.
taylorman
Guest
Agree 'there Ken'...no edit feature sure is missing, especially with the inaccuracy of the way tablets and iPads correct.
taylorman
Guest
Agree the pre Ken, ?I think it's long since been a fan thing to bag Quade...something to do if for any other reason. The players like him and when he was here during the World Cup some of us saw a good side of Quade when he hooked up with family and friends. Anyway, he takes it all in his stride anyway. Quade will certainly add interest to the match and will no doubt be boo-ed by some initially 'cos that's what crowds do' but hopefully not. But I think this will be too much for Quade as a player, too big an ask to cope with what will be thrown at him. But good luck to him, should be fun.
Mapu
Guest
And from the game starting kick off please