Quade Cooper has been rather low key since returning to Australia. No controversial tweets. No Instagram rants. Nothing for the media to get crazy about.
By all reports it’s just been training, and biding his time.
And now Michael Cheika has determined, by some method or other, that his time has come. Quade Cooper will start for the Wallabies at flyhalf, with Bernard Foley shoved one out to inside centre.
No combination there, but at least Quade will have played with halves partner Will Genia plenty of times before, and Samu Kerevi will be there to shunt it forward at outside centre.
To call him ‘polarising’ doesn’t do Quade Cooper justice. He’s unwittingly become the centrepiece in a battle that’s been raging since before most of us were born.
He is the posterboy for the Queensland faction, and the antithesis of everything Wallaby for the NSW faction. (Click to Tweet) He’s also well disliked across the ditch for certain unmentionable actions done to one Sir Richard Hugh McCaw.
Naughty boy. But no longer – All Blacks coach Steve Hansen’s forgiven Quade for that, and even gone as far as to suggest Cooper will improve the Wallabies this weekend.
You can imagine the conversations going on around Australia right now.
“Quade Cooper is a joke.”
“Quade Cooper’s exactly what the Wallabies need.”
“Quade Cooper is the worst player to ever play for Australia.”
There’s little doubt the Wallabies should improve on last week. Sitting alongside Roar writers and colleagues in some of the best seats in the house at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, there were declarations that it was the worst they’d seen the Wallabies play, ever, and a particularly jarring statement from a non-regular rugby goer that it was “Just terrible.”
Of all the words written and spoken after the infamous Blackout at ANZ, ‘just terrible’ is probably the most accurate I’ve seen or heard.
Improvement isn’t just required, it’s bordering on impossible for it not to happen.
Whether that improvement will be led by Quade Cooper remains to be seen, but if Quade can execute three things better than the Wallabies side did during Bledisloe 1. I’m not talking about flashy, Quade Cooper things. I’m talking standard rugby things.
The first is kicking, with Nick Bishop putting together an excellent post on Australia’s exit strategy on Wednesday.
Quade is blessed with a booming right-foot kick – and would do well to share much of the kicking with Will Genia, allowing the heat to come off Bernard Foley in that area. The guy must be sick of reading about his feet by now.
The second is tackling, with every single Wallaby at fault in the last game. Foley. Haylett-Petty. Simmons. Everyone. The defence wasn’t good enough.
Quade Cooper will never be an excellent defender like Dan Carter, but he could do a lot to help the Wallabies’ performance this weekend by getting up with the line, and doing his best every time to hit his opponent with all his force.
Basically, do everything the Wallabies failed to do against the All Blacks first time.
Finally, and most boring of all, Quade would do himself a lot of favours by playing well within himself.
You all know the reaction of people whenever Quade does anything on the field. Frankly it’s absurd. He oscillates between genius and blundering fool more than any player in Australian history.
To see Quade pass, kick, tackle and lead with accuracy and consistency would go a long way to rebuilding his reputation.
Shovelling the ball one out to fellow playmaker Bernard Foley in good positions would be a start, as would taking the ball up straight and not shirking contact. Play for his team. Be as anonymous as Quade Cooper could ever be by using his excellent passing game to put his teammates in better positions than himself.
That’s what he’s best at. Now let’s see him do it.
I won’t be holding my breath, as this All Blacks team is primed to do plenty more damage to Australian rugby’s pride. To believe Quade Cooper will make a difference, positive or negative, is besides the point.
Whether the Wallabies can cobble together a team performance will determine the level of improvement.
And as a little reward for making it this far, it’s The Roar’s understanding that Cooper will be unveiled by the Queensland Reds imminently. Sure, it might be the worst-kept secret in the world, but there you are.
thugfish
Guest
I'm a AB support
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Quade Cooper had been pretty low key since around 2012 though...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What "dishing out" does he do and where has he taken exception to "taking it"? It seems like you've just formed that conclusion because you already dislike him.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No. You said you thought he was arrogant because he stole a laptop when he was 20. That was your comment. Don't move the goal posts when I call you out on it.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I hated Quade until 2010 when I clearly saw a change in his attitude off the field.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What 10 doesn't make the most of their errors under pressure? That's basically Carter in Sydney last year.
Machooka
Roar Guru
You big tease MrRobC... a humdinger eh? :) Ummm... like Cornel Klinger and Sgt. Schultz? "I know NOTHING." "In war time you have to be flexible." "I'm loyal to the Fuhrer. I'm loyal to anyone."
Mrs all black fan
Guest
Quade cooper is he a Jonah ? And what would be the cure?
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Simmons misses 1 out of 12 tackles in 1 half of footy. The team missed 30 throughout the game. It's clearly all Simmons fault.
EELBOY
Guest
Whatever QC's off-field virtues may be, they don't alter the fact that on-field he's easily rattled & couldn't make a tackle to save his life. Do you really want him in a defensive line against the likes of Beauden Barratt?
RobC
Roar Guru
Its going to be a loss mate! Done deal: - We know why, we know how. - Might as well enjoy the little joys that come with it. - And if we win for some incredible reason... Well, that would be a bonus wouldnt it? Im quite curious about Coleman at test level. Ive been wishing a WB jersey on him since his move to the Force. I think he will be good to watch. Same for DHP. I think he was scapegoated as the leaking wing. Great player, underutilised last week. Seeing QC on the paddock will be interesting, one way or the other. Cant wait to see Hodge in Gold. Pooper rush defence is probably making a comeback. Worth a gander. Will there more adjustments in attack? Like a efficient BD (which has been missing in Aus since Reds 2013), latched picks, and short passes and short steps to counter the rush D? Is Check finally back in change mode? Or has he still locked himself to the RWC template? I'll write my articles on coaches, including
Rugby TrumpCheck, in due course. In any case, there will be one special article coming out real here soon, by the finest writer in ROAR ever. You heard it here first. Its going to be a humdingerNick Turnbull
Roar Guru
Hence QC.
Nick Turnbull
Roar Guru
What if Quade is wearing yellow boots today? I saw your selection re back row and Godwin etc. agree with that. I think the Wallabies stand a better chance with shorter line outs done at speed. They are allowing the AB's too much time to read the play. Ian Jones did piece on it during the week. Excellent to watch.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Ummm MrRobC... the old Trump analogy eh what what! Although I would agree the entertainment value is incredible. Infact, you could say has no credibility except to those whose own credibility hangs on it's progress, or lack of it. Yeah? Anyhow, I'm well stocked so as to dull the pain. I now own special cushions for my already tender backside. And I'm ready, as ever, to be taken to a place that bears thinking about. Enjoy the match... my weary bottom! :)
Cynical Play
Guest
Flip Flop ...
Akari
Roar Rookie
All I am saying is that it didn't occur "very quickly" if QC was 'targeted' and it would be remiss of the ABs like any other opposition not to have probed for weaknesses and focused on it).
RobC
Roar Guru
:D MrChook! Nothing more interesting than a team that has nothing to lose. But more interesting, Im very curious to see how this particular game pans out. As I have in the past four or more. Check since he's taken over in 2014, has been somewhat Trumpish: - starting low - then getting a high, by surprising via unconventional means then usurping an incompetent establishment - then getting caught out after the conventions kick in. The entertainment value is incredible
taylorman
Guest
Yep, me to RT, have a few visitors here for it. Not sure where they are right now though! Probably won't see them again till tomorrow...being a younger lot. Probably be at trax at some point before, depending on my guests.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Hey Tragic... is 'serious matter' like serious fecal matter? Have fun in windy wet Wellington and I sincerely hope you dig it :)
aussikiwi
Guest
You forgot to mention the persistent booing of Adam Goodes by Australian 'fans'. Booing on the basis of race? Much closer to a stain on national character. Although if you want a true national disgrace, maybe look at those concentration camps where innocent men, women and children are incarcerated indefinitely.