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It's time for Kiwis to forgive Quade Cooper
Playmaker Richie Mo’unga held his nerve with a last-minute penalty goal to give the All Blacks a slender win over a valiant Wallabies outfit at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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The Test had pretty well everything. It had plenty of drama, running rugby, and some brilliant battles within the dark arts of the scrum and breakdown.
But, to quote the famous fictitious boxer Rocky Balboa, it wasn’t “all sunshine and rainbows.” Unfortunately, one infamous narrative continues to persist within the New Zealand rugby community.
Sitting in the grandstands at the Dunedin venue, it was both shocking and disappointing to hear some of the 28,000 fans in attendance boo Wallaby Quade Cooper during the second half.
After more than a decade of hate, it seems that some New Zealanders have refused to change their ways or second-guess their actions.
Enough is enough. It’s not what the value of this great game stands for.
At the time of writing, it’s almost midnight. The Test finished many hours ago, but there is an issue that requires a discussion.
Let’s set the scene by going back to the beginning. Cooper rose to rugby infamy during the early stages of his Test career, and the flyhalf has failed to shrug off that reputation in the years since.
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Cooper, who was born in New Zealand, decided to play for Australia after moving across the ditch as a teenager. The playmaker went to high school in Brisbane, and was well within his rights to represent either nation.
But Cooper has been met with a chorus of boos from fans in multiple matches over the years for an entirely different reason, really.
The Wallaby, just like many New Zealanders, “idolised” All Blacks legend Richie McCaw growing up. But when they met in the Test arena, the two clashed on a number of occasions.
“To every New Zealander, that was the dude, and you just wanted to meet him. But now I’m playing for Australia,” Cooper said on an episode of Bloke In A Bar earlier this year.
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“In the Australian locker room and stuff like this, everyone is the opposite, they just want to kill him and that.
“In the game in Hong Kong, I cleaned him out and he’s on the ground… I’m sort of standing over him and he just kicks me off with his foot to get me off… I just wanted to get him back.
“We ended up scoring the try that tied the game… I gave him a shove and said some words to him… a few other boys came in and pushed me off.
“I remember walking off the field and I was so embarrassed and disappointed… It was a really weird situation.”
Cooper was cited for kneeing McCaw in a 2011 Bledisloe Cup Test – while the pivot went on to beat the charge, Cooper has since admitted guilt.
Following on from that now infamous incident, Cooper was booed by New Zealanders during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Playing against the All Blacks in the semi-final, the Wallaby was public enemy No. 1.
Maybe for a while, it added to the drama and intensity of Test rugby – but it’s been more than a decade now. It’s time to move on.
If you’ve heard Quade Cooper speak in various interviews over the years, including the aforementioned Bloke In A Bar episode, then you’ll see a big difference.
Cooper has matured – of course he has. Imagine being watched by thousands every week while you try to work in your 20s. It would be exhausting.
Other than Ardie Savea himself, I haven’t heard one person mention the backrowers’ run-in with Wallaby Carter Gordon during Super Round earlier this year, either.
Savea, who captained the All Blacks in Bledisloe I, is a fan favourite – as for Gordon, much like Quade Cooper back in the early 2010s, the young playmaker is trying to find his feet in Test rugby.
Even in Bledisloe II, Gordon gave the haka an Owen Farrell-esque smirk. But nobody bats an eye – if anything, Wallabies fans may see Gordon’s intensity and passion as a breath of fresh air.
But Cooper was once the same.
Cooper has gone on to enjoy a decorated rugby career around the world, and will go down in history as one of the greatest Australian first-fives of the professional era.
That 2011 Super Rugby season will live on in the history books forever. It was just that good.
But for whatever reason, some fans refuse to appreciate greatness and change with the times as well. Again, it’s been more than a decade – it’s time to move on.
For any of those fans who thought it was fair to boo Cooper on Saturday, I implore you to tell me why. Tell me why, after more than a decade, some fans either can’t or won’t move on.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments