Queensland Reds coach Nick Stiles believes Quade Cooper can regain his Wallabies jersey if he follows the same path as Karmichael Hunt and rebuilds his body over the coming months.
Stiles is adamant Cooper’s shock omission from Michael Cheika’s Rugby Championship squad last week is not the end of the road for the 29-year-old playmaker.
He believes Hunt, who made his international debut in June at the age of 30, is the example that should give him hope.
Few gave the code-hopper a chance of ever playing Test rugby but after a strong pre-season with the Reds, he was finally able to overcome his niggling injury troubles and excelled at inside centre against Fiji, Scotland and Italy.
Stiles reckons Cooper needs to do the same.
“I wouldn’t be writing him off at all,” Stiles told AAP.
“I look at it a bit like what we were able to do with Karmichael last year.
“You would have said 12 months ago Karmichael was at that same point in his career and you didn’t know if he’d come back from it.
“He was similar, he had a few years of season-on-season injuries and hadn’t worked on himself physically.
“Being able to give him four to six months to really get his body right allowed him to play his best football.”
Cooper’s Super Rugby season was hampered by a medial ligament injury and a foot problem, which Stiles said affected not only his kicking but his ability to practice kicking, as well as requiring reduced training loads.
Before he left the Reds in 2015 his ill-fated stint with French club Toulon he suffered a hip injury and battled a series of shoulder issues.
He was not reconsidered for Australian selection this week after Hunt (ankle) was ruled out of August’s Bledisloe Cup clashes through injury.
Cooper looked a shadow of the player he once was for the Reds this year and Stiles conceded his performances were wildly inconsistent.
“He’d be the first one to say that. He’s got very high expectations of himself and he wants to be the best,” Stiles said.
“He sees it now as an opportunity to really be able to work on those areas and get better.
“The thing I’ve always liked about Quade is he’s a top-end athlete, a competitor.
“Sometimes when you see those competitors put on those scrap heap, they fight.”
Holidaying in Bali, Cooper is due to return to training next week with Brisbane City before they kick off their National Rugby Championship season on September 2.
steve
Guest
Thats garbage. He just needs more playing time to get in form. Have a look on his instagram account. He's in the best shape of his life. He's ripped. Shredded. And thats from pics on his bali holiday today.
Ken Catchpole's Other. Leg
Guest
Fair observation Gepetto.
hop-along-joe
Guest
EnoughIsEnough, agree 100%
hop-along-joe
Guest
good on you Other Leg, agree with your comments re QC. while he was inconsistent for QLD, according to Stiles (I missed a fair few of the Reds' games this year), he looked sharp and up-to-speed each time he came on for the Wallabies in recent matches, so his omission is somewhat of a worry as Foley's form hasn't been great for both NSW & Wallas. Cooper needs to refocus on his goal kicking as well so as to have that extra string to his bow (and so does Kurtley). Hope to see Quade back in yella, ahh, err, gold. (He must be a fan of the TDF hence his 'yellow jersey' comment a while back that got him into hot water.)
Gman
Guest
100% - but for at least 2 seasons i was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt - alas it wasnt to be .....
Ruckin Oaf'
Guest
Hey Gman, Thanks but one example was enough.
Gepetto
Guest
The Reds were hopeless with Jake McIntyre running the show and he had plenty of time to prove himself. People have been searching for a #10 better than Quade for years without success. Richard Graham thought Dunc Paywaive, Frisby, Hunt , Mcintyre or O'Connor would be able replacements - tragic errors of judgement.
Gepetto
Guest
The ABs seem to use two tens and two nines every test. Cheika wants Bernard to play every minute of every game, sometimes out of position. Cheika thinks Bernard is a rugby genius. Bernard has to play it safe for the sake of the team. He will need to stand deep and pass and kick early if he is to survive. On the other hand, other teams may not target him because he offers little threat.
Gman
Guest
Knee jerk ? How many times do we have to watch him underperform on every stage to comment ?
Gman
Guest
Shaking in my boots
piru
Roar Rookie
Marto you're lucky the rest of us don't do the same to you with the rubbish you post
Marto
Guest
Gman you need to change your name...I will forever jump on your comment from now on..Pathetic..
Marto
Guest
^ Is that why Quade and the REDS finished higher on the ladder than the TAHS?.. Fooley is Numero Uno at 10 is he ?.... The " Iceman " Yeah man ,awesome.. The " Icemans " team came 16th pal ... You deadset Goofball.. No wonder the WALLABIES are dying ...
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Wadda ya know a Cooper critic who didn't put a lot of thought into a comment and came out with some knee-jerk reaction. Must be a first - right ?
Gman
Guest
My bad
EnoughisEnough
Guest
No doubt about it. It was clear as soon as Cooper came on at the end of the games in recent tests. It made a huge difference having a guy that could pass well, and that had some vision. Foley is a journeyman, and exceedingly error prone at that.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Haven't seen many minutes of him at the Reds, but I have heard his passing needed a bit of work at the U20s.
Fionn
Guest
Think that was about Hunt, mate, not Quade.
Gman
Guest
"excelled at inside centre against Fiji, Scotland and Italy" Has to be a PAID member of the QC fan club..
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Cooper is the best 10 in the country. Even Bernard Foley knows that.