Analysis: Six blunders that may cost Quade Cooper a spot in the Wallabies
Quade Cooper last played for the Wallabies in June 2017.
He was dropped from the squad for the Rugby Championship and has yet to make a return for the national team. He was also omitted from Brad Thorn’s 2018 Reds squad, instead playing out his contract with the Brisbane City NRC side.
Prior to the Wallabies’ 2017 end of year tour, coach Michael Cheika was confident that the team was adequately covered in the crucial 10 position without Cooper’s inclusion.
“We feel like from a playmakers perspective, we’ve got … [Bernard] Foley first up, and then [Kurtley] Beale and [Reece] Hodge. I see Hodge playing in there at some stage eventually,” Cheika said at the time.
Given that Cooper was already on the outs with the national side and he played no role in Super Rugby in 2018, it wasn’t a surprise that he wasn’t selected in the Wallabies at all in 2018. Foley, Beale and Matt To’omua all received game time in the first five role.
2018 was a less than successful year for Australian rugby, to put it mildly. The team mustered a paltry 4 wins from 13 games played, with Ireland securing a first-ever series win in Australia.
Whilst there were a number of deficiencies in the Wallabies’ game, the lack of confidence and inspiration coming from the playmaker role was clear to everyone. Foley, once considered the ‘safe’ option to Cooper’s more maverick approach, was dropping balls and missing goals at a rate considerably higher than any international should be permitted to do. Beale and To’omua simply looked like midfielders that had been shifted into the first receiver role.
Rebel with a cause
The 2019 season has seen the return of Quade Cooper to Super Rugby – now at the Rebels – and calls were reignited for the New Zealand-born first five to be reinstated to the Wallabies after a stellar start to the season.
After little more than a month of competition, the halves duo of Will Genia and Cooper were the form combination, contributing to more try and line-break assists than any other pairing in Super Rugby. Wallabies supporters were sure that the Rebels were being treated to Australia’s halves combo which could lead the country to World Cup glory.
As has now become an annual tradition, the Rebels successes quickly started to dry up as the competition went on, with the Melbourne side losing seven of their last nine matches. In the final two games of the competition, the Rebels were pasted 66-0 and 59-8 by the Crusaders and the Chiefs.
It’s no coincidence that the lack of success in Melbourne has come at the same time as a drop in form for Cooper.
Some will still be calling for Cooper to make a return to the Wallabies on the back of his overall season with the Rebels, but it’s become painfully clear in recent weeks that the man simply doesn’t have the composure to guide the Wallabies to any great success.
If the early season showed what Cooper can do when his team is on the front foot, then this past weekend’s match with the Chiefs highlighted the kind of player that Cooper can be when his team is under pressure.
The Chiefs scored nine tries in Friday night’s match. Cooper played a part in six of them.
1 Sam Cane try
The Rebels were hard on attack but were struggling to compromise the Chiefs’ resolute defence and get past the 10m line in Chiefs territory.
Cooper received the ball and, with other options not working, opted to put a chip through behind the Chiefs defence. The ball found space but bounced away from the Rebels chasers – instead finding its way into the arms of Jack Debreczeni.
Whilst a chip wouldn’t always be a poor option, the Chiefs cover defence were already waiting back in anticipation of the move. Debreczeni, Solomon Alaimalo and Sean Wainui were all camped in the 22. The bounce of the ball did not help the Rebels’ cause.
Ex-Rebel Debreczeni sparked a counter attack and the Chiefs raced 80 metres to score under the posts. Halfback Brad Weber ran almost 20 metres on his own – easily stepping around a flailing Cooper in the process.
2 Shaun Stevenson try
Less than 10 minutes later, another Cooper kick went horribly awry.
This time, the Rebels were launching an attack from inside their half and Cooper opted for a grubber – not for the first time. Early in the match a wrap then grubber had gained the Rebels a solid 20 metres without losing possession – evidently Cooper thought the move could work again.
Cooper wrapped around Tom Banks and tried to slot a kick between Anton Lienert-Brown and Shaun Steveneson. His left footer, however, was easily blocked by Stevenson. The gangly wing chased and collected the rebound, then dashed away to score untouched.
3 Lachlan Boshier try
With the final play of the first half, the Rebels once again fell on their own sword.
A loose pass on the Rebels 10 metre line from another Wallaby, Reece Hodge, was scooped up by Stevenson. Stevenson raced away, stepping around the covering Cooper. To his credit, Cooper eventually brought Stevenson to ground – but it wasn’t enough to prevent a try, with Lachlan Boshier on hand to collect Stevenson’s offload.
The game was barely half complete and the Chiefs had three tries all stemming from Rebels errors.
4 Sean Wainui try
While the Chiefs had to play with a bit more structure to score their fourth try – only two minutes after the second half kicked off – the score still came on the back of a number of missed tackles from the Rebels.
From a scrum on the Rebels 22, the Chiefs managed to spread the ball out to Sean Wainui who was parked out on the left wing. Wainui proceeded to step off his left foot, bamboozling Cooper, and score in the tackles of Hodge and Campbell Magnay.
5 Jack Debreczeni try
Come the 57th minute of the match, the Rebels were already behind by six tries. Things were about to get worse.
From a scrum on halfway, Weber made mince meat of the Rebels defensive line. The tiny tyro ran sideways then straightened up to burst through the line – fending off Cooper in the process. Weber then passed inside to the supporting Debreczeni who scored untouched.
6 Marty McKenzie try
The Chiefs’ final try, courtesy of replacement first five, Marty McKenzie, was more a product of the lack of cohesion between Cooper and the recently returned Matt To’omua than any lack of skills.
The pair tried to launch an attack off a scrum on their 22m line, but the short pass from Too’mua to Cooper found only Cooper’s outstretched fingertips. The ball hit the turf and McKenzie kicked it through to dot down.
The six tries that Cooper played a role in were not all his doing; others were just at much as fault as he was. Unfortunately for the flyhalf, however, he was the common denominator.
Cooper also made a number of other errors, including an up-and-under attempt that finished up about 5 metres outside of play and two kick-offs that went out on the full.
No time for wild risks
Some of his errors show a lack of skill, but some are simply a sign of the impact that confidence (or lack thereof) can have on a player.
Cooper has been known to crack under pressure – and the 2019 World Cup would probably be the highest-pressure situation that the Rebel could ever find himself in, given how high the expectations would be.
If Cooper had maintained his form from earlier in the season then perhaps Cheika would be willing to take a shot on the man who can create something from nothing. As it stands now, however, Cooper would be required to learn all the various systems and gel with the new players that have been introduced since he last represented the side.
World Cup year is not the time to be taking a punt on an unknown quality. With Foley, Beale, To’omua and Hodge all likely to make the cut, Cooper could well find himself missing out on selection once again.
At his absolute best, Quade Cooper is one of the most talented first fives in world rugby. Unfortunately, Cooper’s best is something that we have rarely seen – even in a season that promised so much.
Comments on RugbyPass
I wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
4 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to comments