Cooper’s test career looks over after selection snub
Three years into his reign with the Wallabies and Michael Cheika has realised he is better off without Quade Cooper.
The only surprise is it has taken this long to figure that out.
Cooper’s international career may not be dead but it is on life support. Truth is, his relevance has been fast fading for some time.
Leaving Cooper out of a 38-man training squad for the Rugby Championship, one that features 11 rookies and no Brumbies as they prepare for their quarter-final against the Hurricanes, is a sign Cheika has lost patience with the flighty Kiwi-born Reds playmaker.
Don’t expect Cheika to close the door entirely, such are his limited options. But two years out from the next World Cup seems a good time to make intentions clear.
“From a form perspective, yeah, I don’t think his [Super Rugby] form has been brilliant, to be honest,” Cheika said.
“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.”
Cheika has initially preferred Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale as the Wallabies first five-eighths.
Beale last played for the Wallabies at the 2015 World Cup. Unless injury strikes, Cooper will remain on the outer. At 29 and after 70 tests, his future looks bleak.
Ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup showdown in Sydney, Cheika can’t afford to be worrying about one of his backline directors becoming a sideshow against the All Blacks yet again. He’s got enough on his plate.
Attempting to pull together a team from the five Australian franchises who haven’t won against their Kiwi Super Rugby counterparts since last May (0-30 record) is plenty to consume his time.
Unfortunately for Cooper, test rugby requires a first-five who can be relied on to deliver certain traits. No doubt he has talent, creativity and flair, but Cooper appears to have lost confidence, temperament and the ability to control a match. He can’t be trusted to deliver a game plan under pressure. And his track record suggests his emotions get the better of him on the big stage.
Against the Highlanders in Dunedin last week, Cooper did little to inspire. One of his cross-field kicks went out on the full, and he still needs to be protected on defence by being stationed on the wing.
Shaping your defence around one weak link at international level is simply madness. Whether it is Aaron Smith’s box kicks or any of the All Blacks power wings with ball in hand, Cooper would be exposed.
Since guiding the Reds to the 2011 title, when Will Genia’s speed and running game made him the world’s premier halfback, Cooper has battled to recapture his swagger. He looks frustrated. The past few years have had few on-field highlights, and too many distractions off it.
Injuries haven’t helped but his return to the Reds from an unsuccessful stint in France hasn’t gone well. Two weeks ago, when the Reds beat the Brumbies, he gifted the visitors a try by losing the ball over the line and then set up and kicked the match-winning penalty. These yo-yo performances don’t cut it.
Cheika has named 11 Reds all up, many of them young talents. Such faith doesn’t extend to Cooper.