The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

'I'm hurt I couldn't please everyone:' 'Vulnerable' Quade Cooper on decision to choose club over country

28th October, 2021
Advertisement
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for the ARU)
Editor
28th October, 2021
220
5082 Reads

Quade Cooper says he’s hurting after being unable to join the Wallabies on the spring tour over a wrangle with his Japanese club team.

Cooper took the decision not to join the Wallabies for matches against Scotland, Wales and England.

A disappointed coach Dave Rennie made it clear late Thursday that Cooper and fellow Japanese based players Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon had opted out of the tour because they didn’t want to go against the wishes of their clubs.

Australia had the right to call up the trio but the players asked them not to enforce regulation 9.

Cooper said he was taking positives out of a tough situation.

“I wouldn’t have been able to admit being hurt in the past so this was hard for me to do but feels great to be able to be honest and vulnerable, ” Cooper wrote on social media.

“My growth as a man is being able to admit I’m hurt.

“It hurts that I won’t be on tour to Europe with my teammates, especially after experiencing so much growth and overcoming challenges each week.

Advertisement

“I’m hurt that I couldn’t please everyone and keep both my employer and country happy. But although I am hurting now, the happiness I feel from my journey to this point far outweighs the hurt.

“I am so thankful to everyone, from my club Kintetsu Liners for allowing me to play for Australia again to [Rennie] and the Wallabies staff for inviting me in to what proved to be an incredible atmosphere and for all your efforts the past few months but most of all to my teammates and brothers.

“We challenge each other to be better each day and as a result we saw enormous growth as both men and as athletes. Thank you for making the last few months possible.

“This journey has no finish line and my efforts to continue to walk this path will not change. What’s meant to be will be.”

Rennie had sympathy with Cooper’s stance.

Advertisement

“That’s their primary employer, isn’t it?” said Rennie. “Ideally we want guys who are desperate to be Wallabies.

“He’s a good man. He’s contributed massively on and off the field. He’s torn – he wants to be here. He wants to be a Wallaby, but he feels loyalty to his club.

“He’s made a decision he feels is the right one. He’s made my decision that’s best for him.

“I think if he had the support of the club and the blessing of the club he would have come. But he hasn’t.

“He wanted the blessing of the club, we talked about some flexibility around the tour dates but in the end he felt he needed to be there supporting his club, his employer heading into their season.

“We’ve accepted that and we’ve moved on.

Advertisement

“What this highlights is discussing it with their clubs early would have been important.”

close