'How do you defend that': Quade Cooper's plan to stop Beauden Barrett
Speculation has been brewing in recent weeks whether veteran playmaker Quade Cooper will make a long-awaited return to the test arena against the All Blacks in Perth this week.
It has been four years since the 33-year-old last pulled on the green and gold jersey of Australia, and after Wallabies boss Dave Rennie called Cooper into his Rugby Championship squad as cover for the injured James O’Connor, a return to international rugby is in sight for the experienced pivot.
Whether or not Cooper will actually take to the field at Optus Stadium this weekend remains to be seen, with the likelihood of his 71st test appearance made murky by the fact he could depart the Australian camp as early as next week.
By that point, O’Connor is expected to rejoin the squad when it relocates to Queensland, where he is currently based, for the rest of the Rugby Championship.
The idea of thrusting Cooper into Australia’s match day squad for the final Bledisloe Cup test of the year has been labelled by some as short-sighted, but, should he feature at all, it would make for a tantalising storyline.
Not only for the fact that it would complete one of the unlikeliest test rugby comeback in recent times, but it would also be highly likely – almost certain, in fact – that Cooper would be pitted against Beauden Barrett in a head-to-head battle at No 10.
Barrett has a clear run to the starting All Blacks lineup in his preferred position of first-five after New Zealand head coach Ian Foster left incumbent playmaker Richie Mo’unga at home to attend the arrival of his second child.
Barrett, a two-time World Rugby Player of the Year, is subsequently set for a prolonged spell in the No 10 jersey for the first time since 2018 after having featured predominantly at fullback for the All Blacks in recent seasons.
The 30-year-old has started just once at first-five this season, against Fiji in Dunedin, but has struggled to reclaim his place in New Zealand’s starting team due to Mo’unga’s mercurial rise in form.
However, with New Zealand and Australia’s border restrictions ruling Mo’unga out for an additional two weeks once he eventually travels across the Tasman to link back up with the All Blacks squad, Barrett will have a lengthy run of games to state his case for inclusion in future starting teams.
The first of those auditions begins this weekend, and that, Cooper said, presents a daunting task for the Wallabies, who have already felt the wrath of Mo’unga’s attacking prowess this year and now have ready themselves for an onslaught from Barrett.
“That’s the thing about the All Blacks. You’ve got Richie Mo’unga staying at home for the birth of one of his children, and you have Beaudy come in – two of the best players in the world,” Cooper told media on Tuesday.
Hard to disagree with Beaudy here ? #AllBlackshttps://t.co/zf8b9OCPxJ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 1, 2021
“How do you defend that? It’s one of those things that you can only put so much emphasis on one person and stop them. It’s just more about slowing them down, and the ABs as a whole.
“They’ve been a phenomenal team over the past three games and we’re very much more focused on trying to nail down our stuff.”
Although the Wallabies were, among other things, guilty of poor decision-making and inaccurate at the set piece in their first two defeats to the All Blacks in Auckland last month, Cooper said his team’s focus on improvement is much broader than just fixing specific issues.
He said the development of Australia’s younger, less-experienced players – such as young pivot Noah Lolesio, who has started at No 10 in all of the Wallabies tests this year – is paramount for the overall improvement of Rennie’s side.
“We’ve got a lot of young players, as we spoke about, that have shown some great things over the past few games and the series against the French,” Cooper said.
“So, as long as those guys can continue to grow, everybody in the squad puts their hand up and tries to push each other, then hopefully we’ll be in a great spot.
“But, to answer your question, he [Barrett] is a difficult bloke to be able to contain, and we’ll be trying to slow him down as best we can.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to comments