Quade Cooper’s iconic performance on Saturday evening is more than a personal redemption story.
That 80 minutes made Cooper all but un-droppable this year. He now must be a better than even chance to start at ten in the next World Cup.
It also has far-ranging implications for the make-up of Dave Rennie’s side.
Given Cooper had not played a Test match in over four years, he showed incredible poise against the world champions. Aside from a couple of early fumbles, his ball control was excellent.
Perhaps where he stood out the most was in his ability to take the right options. He did not kick aimlessly or for the sake of it, unlike his celebrated opposite number.
When he ran it was because nothing was on out wide. There were no speculative cut-outs like the ones that had marred his previous record at this level or the Wallabies’ Bledisloe series.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
The roles played by Len Ikitau and particularly Samu Kerevi should not be understated in terms of their contribution to Cooper’s night. Time and again, the Wallabies’ centres gave Cooper outlets when the pressure was on and straightened the line when it needed straightening.
To now have Kerevi, Hunter Paisami and Ikitau as options at 12 and 13 is sure to take a weight off Dave Rennie’s mind.
More than that, the re-emergence of Quade Cooper must certainly end Matt Toomua’s international career. He has been a great servant of the game but his time has now come and gone. There is simply no room or need for him in the Wallabies’ side anymore.
Noah Lolesio, Reece Hodge and James O’Connor are now all waiting in the wings to play ten if need be.
Noah Lolesio will learn his craft and bide his time as he should have done, as a squad member. He isn’t ready for Test rugby and that isn’t his fault. Being introduced against an up-and-coming French side before playing three Tests against the All Blacks was less than ideal. In contrast, Cooper debuted in 2009 against Italy.
Hodge will go back to what he does best, covering multiple positions across the back line and kicking 60-metre bombs when needed.
Moving forward and in terms of selection, the most interesting and consequential of the three by far is James O’Connor.
The debate has long raged about where O’Connor is best suited to play Test rugby. Some say flyhalf, others say inside centre, but I say at fullback.
As well as being very solid under the high ball and the best tactical kicker in the Wallabies’ set-up, playing fullback allows O’Connor to join the line at first or second receiver at will.
His presence at the back will allow the Wallabies to select a bullocking inside centre in Kerevi or Paisami but also have a second playmaker on the field to start a game.
Lets’ face it, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor are the most dangerous ball players in Australia and that is not about to change before 2023.
Poor old Tom Banks is a classic example of someone who shines at provincial level but is overcome by Test rugby. His kicking, catching and running all leave far too much to be desired and were shown up badly against the Boks.
The other option at 15, Jordan Petaia, does not have the kicking game O’Connor has and is a poor distributor. He is much better suited to the wing or even outside centre when fit.
(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
O’Connor is the answer at fullback and I have a hunch that Dave Rennie knows that already.
It is very interesting to look at how Dave Rennie built the Chiefs into a rugby powerhouse after years of under-performance and inconsistency.
That side was built around Aaron Cruden, a similar player to Quade Cooper at ten. A certain Damian McKenzie then arrived and played 15. The comparisons between McKenzie and O’Connor are also easy to make.
Rennie then combed the Chiefs’ catchment areas for good players who were also good men.
Back then those players included Cruden and McKenzie as well as Sam Cane and Brodie Retallick. They had electric backs behind a hard, no-frills pack.
Now it is a reformed Cooper and O’Connor together with Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon. The eye-catching performance of the Force’s Feleti Kaitu’u, which is worthy of its own article, makes him one to add to that list.
With young hungry players like Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Jake Gordon, Lolesio and Petaia filling out the wider squad together with veterans like Pete Samu and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, the future looks better than it did a week ago.
Could history be repeating itself? Could Dave Rennie have a plan? I sure hope so.
Potential Wallabies World Cup team
1-8: Angus Bell, Feleti Kaitu’u, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Rory Arnold, Lachie Swinton, Michael Hooper, Rob Valetini
9-15: Tate McDermott, Quade Cooper, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, James O’Connor
Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Philip, Sean McMahon, Nic White, Hunter Paisami, Reece Hodge
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
G'day wre That's my 23 at the moment except swapping of halves. I could see Tate improving to start by 23, and Petaia also possible to edge out by then, Hodge on bench. Cheers KP
Madhattr
Guest
The Bok are over rated there backs are boring i could see OZ going 2 up this weekend then the ABs kicking there butt too
Scar82
Guest
For me hodge is not a fullback imo. He is not as fast and that silly play almost cost us the game. Banks would have ran that ball back knowing he has a strike player like petaia outside him. He kicked possession away when we needed the ball with only a minute to go. For me hodge plays well in the closer channels that at 10,12 or 13 and even wing. His solid as a defender and good ball carrier that takes on the line. O'Connor is better at 10 and 12 as well I feel he has lost abit of pace for fullback. We got to remember that him and quade are gonna be around 35 in 2023 so we need to build around them. Lolesio will come good. I feel another 10 to persist with is Donaldson from the tahs who is playing well behind a poor team. In the forwards we have seen players growing nicely and I feel naisarani is not done yet. He plays well close to the ruck and very good on the pick and drive. Samu is back and as always been a great player. N Wilson is always there playing in the wider channels where he exposes defence. We lacking hookers I felt faiingaa needs to step up more especially BPA leaving. Kaituu will grow as well. I just feel we got a good squad to build around at the moment but good to see no one is guaranteed a spot. I like the aggression of leota. Always admired how he played in super rugby and I feel he has more power in his game then lukhan. I felt probably thats y Lukhan has pulled out of the championship knowing that there is alot of cover now for locks and loose forwards. I have belief in my wallabies and a great future ahead.
Scar82
Guest
Wallabies are building well. We still have a few players injured that will push for selection. Vunivalu will definitely be there in 2023, filipo daugunu as well is another player building well that has a good kick on him. I felt Banks played well and like rennie said he does the basic things right and on Sunday he kicked well for touch and solid under the high ball from the boks where I think he did not drop any at all. Alot of us are not watching his positional play and he almost broke the line when he played first receiver off tate. He has to play to the game plan as well which is leaving Cooper to run the show. I just feel they need to bring him in more imo and he needs to get involved more but I felt with the boks kicking at everything he had to play it right and know when to drop back to cover there long ranging kicks.
Vula Tabulutu
Guest
I wouldn’t hesitate to include Pete Samu in that World Cup squad
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
"Noah Lolesio will learn his craft and bide his time as he should have done, as a squad member. He isn’t ready for Test rugby and that isn’t his fault." . To be fair we did win a series vs France with him at #10.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. 2018 was Banks' peak and he should have played at 15 and Folau at 14. In 2019 Banks.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
I would have put Folau on the wing where he was much better suited.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Big Dave, at various times he also picked Beale, Maddocks and others ahead of Banks too. To add, Folau was always better suited to play on the wing anyway and a Banks / Folau combo at 15 and 14 would have been formidable.
Cassandra
Roar Rookie
The poor bloke was given a couple of tests under Cheika a few years back with Foley at 12 and it just didn’t work at all. That was a disgraceful act of white anting by Cheika, IMO, to justify his continued selection of Foley. Seeing Quade play so well on Sunday got my blood boiling about Cheika all over again. :angry:
Choppies
Roar Rookie
Petaia has never demonstrated defensive nous ???? Have you seen him play haha. He's the most solid defender in most backlines, often tackling bigger players into touch and covering 13 channel effectively. His only major drawback is his decision making, his kicking has improved.
Choppies
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Michael
Guest
#JohnPorchFullBack2023
The Hen
Roar Rookie
I must admit it’s an interesting thought. We have all forgotten JOC was an outside back for almost all his career. The back 3 have note fired for 24 months and it’s got a lot to do with a mediocre 15. It’s interesting to consider what smarts and strategy would come from cooper, JOC and Karevi on the field at once with MK, Ikitau, Kellaway. Then a Backs bench with paitaia and hodge. I really like the contrast of white and Tate at 9 also. Nice idea.
The Hen
Roar Rookie
Harry Wilson? Potential Wallabies World Cup team 1-8: Angus Bell, Feleti Kaitu’u, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Rory Arnold, Lachie Swinton, Michael Hooper, Rob Valetini 9-15: Tate McDermott, Quade Cooper, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, James O’Connor Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Philip, Sean McMahon, Nic White, Hunter Paisami, Reece Hodge
Poco Loco
Roar Rookie
I think it is better to persevere with Swinton as he has a lot of positives to offer and with coaching and mentoring he could be anothe Fardy. We have seen too many discarded and not trained up and improved by coaching in the past only to go north, be developed by others and lost to us in their best years. We need to treasure and nurture those that have the skills and aptitude.
Poco Loco
Roar Rookie
I remember White kicking the ball in the dying minutes to the ABs in a test too. But he learnt and so can Hodge.
steamers fan
Roar Rookie
Hodge?
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Cheika was picking Israel Folau ahead of Banks. Do you really think Banks was worthy to hold Folau's jockstrap?
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Why not? We know Banks isn't the answer. Could O'Connor really be worse?