Cheika wants axed Cooper to enjoy playing again

AUSTRALIA coach Michael Cheika has left Quade Cooper out of an extended pre-Bledisloe Cup training squad and cast major doubt over the international career of the 70-Test playmaker.

Cooper was the major omission in a 38-man squad named by Cheika that will engage in a series of training camps prior to the Wallabies’ first clash with the All Blacks in Sydney next month.

Cheika, describing the decision to omit Cooper as “difficult” went on to add, however: “From a form perspective I don’t think his form has been brilliant, to be honest.

“I have had a long talk with him and I don’t want to breach that code of coachplayer by giving out too much detail, but one of the big things is for him to look like he is enjoying his footy.

“Getting out there and really being a competitor for that 10 jersey. We have had a talk about the reasons why, and obviously a lot of that is trying to get him back into a space where he can be that player that’s going to get us around the park and do the stuff we want him to do.

“I don’t feel like that’s been happening and I feel like, at a certain point, I have to change things. With a bit of congestion now in the midfield players, with Kurtley Beale back and some of the options around the 10 position, I decided that’s the way to go.”

Asked if he thought Cooper would fight to win his position back, Cheika said: “Yes, that’s his natural character and you want your senior players to have that attitude when they face adversity ... that they show resilience.”