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Quade Cooper made it through three days of Super Rugby pre-season in late 2017 before he appeared before Queensland management. That meeting marked the unofficial end of his 118-game tenure with the Reds.
Just one season into a lucrative three-year deal that was supposed to take him through the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Cooper had been cut out of new coach Brad Thorn’s plans.
Despite finding himself with an abundance of free time, Cooper revealed in an intimate interview with The Sydney Morning Herald that he never stop working.
“It happened on a Friday and then on Monday, I knew I should be training. What do I do? The first day, I went into a gym and was like ‘what do I do?’ I’ve been doing this for more than 12 years but normally your program is handed to you,” Cooper said.
“For me, it wasn’t just about the Reds. I was still training to be the best player I could be, whether that was for Super Rugby or [Brisbane club side] Souths. No matter what, I wasn’t going to be stopped from improving myself.
“If I got back into Team A or Team B, so be it. My focus was on me and how much I was able to learn.”
Newly-signed Melbourne Rebel Cooper also discussed how he felt leaving the Reds.
“Of course, it hurts. I played more than 100 games for them. But I’m not going to judge anyone. That’s up to them and how they feel about that. I’m very fortunate to play for Melbourne now, same with club rugby and the NRC,” Cooper said.
“I don’t wish anything bad on anyone. If anything, it says more about coaching styles, to be able to get the best out of every player.
“For me, I don’t have any ill judgment. That’s not me. I can only go with the situation I’m in. For me, that’s Souths, Brisbane City and now Melbourne.”
30-year-old Cooper cites All Black Sonny Bill Williams as a big motivator after his axing in Queensland.
“I went to the Corporate Box [gym] every day, went back into training. And a big help for me has been Sonny. Khoder [Nasser, Williams’ manager] and [trainer] Shannon King, as well. But Sonny, straight away, was ‘come spend a week with me’. I went and spent a week there and we started training. He was on holidays but still was there to do that.
Cooper has long been a polarising figure in rugby, with his all-or-nothing style of play painting him as both hero and villain dependent on results. It’s something Cooper has never fully understood.
“To be honest, I’ve never been sure,” Cooper says. “What I do know is I’ve had a hell of a ride so far and I feel like I’ve still got so much to give. This year, it’s been a blessing to be a small part of this year for a lot of people.
“A lot of people that didn’t know got to know me. I was able to be a small part of a lot of people’s lives. When you are playing as a professional, people feel you are out of reach. But even if I’m playing Test match football, I’m still down here having a coffee, doing normal things.
“Because I was playing at club level, I was able to interact in a closer way. But I’ve never really known why people are so fascinated by me.”
After a season of club rugby with Souths and a year in the NRC with Brisbane City, Rebels coach Dave Wessels reached out. Cooper reached a deal with the club and with halfback Will Genia will re-form the partnership that saw the 2011 Super Rugby title head to Queensland.
“I was very intrigued by his [Wessels] visions of the game, how he saw the game. And how he took the time to get to know me as a person. That meant a lot. I have a lot of respect for him and am looking forward to playing in Melbourne.
“Anybody who takes the time to get to know you, you know they are investing in you. I have the utmost respect for him.”
“I’ll just do the best I can. If I’m ever picked to play, I’m picked to play. If not, that’s up to the coach.
While Wessels was quick to reach out, the same can’t be said for national coach Michael Cheika.
“He hasn’t been in touch at all,” Cooper said. “Again, that’s all out of my control. I’ll just do the best I can. If I’m ever picked to play, I’m picked to play. If not, that’s up to the coach. I don’t lose too much sleep over that. The guys that he picks, he lives with that and the results they get.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
I like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to comments