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Rugby World Cup

'12 months rehabbing for a World Cup you wouldn’t play in'- Quade Cooper

Australia's head coach Eddie Jones (R) talks with Quade Cooper prior to the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Test match between Australia and New Zealand at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on August 5, 2023. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama / AFP) (Photo by SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia fly-half Quade Cooper addressed the Wallabies’ World Cup pool stage exit for the first time on social media after playing his first match since missing out on Eddie Jones’ squad.

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The 35-year-old was one of the shock omissions from the 33-player squad that travelled to France alongside former captain Michael Hooper as Jones opted for a young and inexperienced team instead.

While Cooper did comment after missing out on the World Cup initially, he has refrained from confronting the Wallabies’ World Cup these last few weeks as his former teammates crashed out in the pool stages for the first time ever following losses to Wales and Fiji.

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New Zealand post-match presser 14-10-2023

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    New Zealand post-match presser 14-10-2023

    But after playing his first game after that disappointment, a preseason match for the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners against the Melbourne Rebels, the 80-cap Wallaby reflected on the past few weeks, and year in general.

    After rupturing his Achilles against Argentina in August 2022, Cooper faced a race to be fit for the World Cup, and was able to recover in time to play in this year’s Rugby Championship only to then fail to make the World Cup as Jones opted for the untested duo of Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson.

    Cooper mentioned these “highs and lows” in an Instagram post before presenting the stark reality of his past year in a dig that appears to be aimed directly at Jones.

    “After the high and lows of the past 3 months it was good to be back out on the field,” he said. “12 months rehabbing for a World Cup you wouldn’t play in. Keep your goals based around the process not the outcome.”

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    A post shared by QC (@quadecooper)


    Watching the Wallabies struggle in France would have presumably made his absence all the harder to take for Cooper, as he would have felt he could have made a difference. Jones has faced a lot of criticism in the wake of the World Cup, and Cooper has not opted to kick him while he’s down but he has nevertheless has not hidden how disappointed he is.

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    Comments

    4 Comments
    C
    Cam 646 days ago

    I was quite dissapointed not to see Quade (or Hooper) selected and play in what would have been his last WC but would it have made any difference though? His experience and what he brings to the game might have been that spark the Wallabies needed. Pure speculation on my part.

    R
    Rich 648 days ago

    If any lessons on experience in a squad were needed, look at the Boks.

    T
    TOA-MATE-KORE 648 days ago

    Should have been at the world cup. And Hooper. Everybody knows it. Except the dipshit running the show.

    T
    Tom 649 days ago

    Another in the long line of those shafted by Eddie. Would have been good to see Quade play and it seems he's turned himself around. Sad to see him and Cipriani sabotage their careers and learn their lessons too late in the day.

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    Comments on RugbyPass

    S
    SR 23 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    Such as?

    122 Go to comments
    S
    SR 23 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    It's hardly an obsession! Ok so he played LLB who's day I think is done .But 10 changes against France in 3rd game when France fielded what NH pundits said was far closer to a B team tann C with all but 3 players capped is hardly the yips.

    122 Go to comments
    S
    SR 26 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    It was his first year no international experience and he learns fast and owns his mistakes. I'm pretty the hopeful were tracking in the right direction

    Leroy Carter a definite for me. Lester's been playing midfield and we have Timoci as 12 as well

    122 Go to comments
    D
    Derek Murray 32 minutes ago
    Harness Skelton's might and move Sua'ali'i: How the Wallabies can fix things for Test two

    I like reading your stuff when it reinforces my less informed view. I have said all along we need to keep the game narrow and smash them with size. I’d have run Kerevi out for AUNZ to see if his good form in Japan stood the step up in class, and I’d never have had Williams ahead of LSL or Robertson ahead of Tupou.


    I have assumed all along that Schmidt was smarter than other coaches but persisting with playing Ikitau away from a position where he is world’s best to accommodate JAS is frustrating at best.


    Skelton and Valetini back in seems like we’re half pregnant - why not go all in?


    It’s a grey Melbourne day here, and it’s predicted to rain all evening. The sort of game we’re likely to have will suit forwards who never stop and halves with great control. I suspect we’re bested in both, but will make some noise to encourage a different outcome than seems obvious.

    58 Go to comments
    O
    Over the sideline 49 minutes ago
    Steve Hansen: The Boks are 'rolling the dice and so far they’ve got away with it'

    What makes you think naming 1000 in squad makes the squad superior.? Quite simply… NZ could name 3 squads of 40 but it wouldn’t make the best side any better.

    SA naming g U20s in there squad isn’t making the squad better. Its actually DILUTING the quality of the squad.

    38 Go to comments
    R
    RS 53 minutes ago
    ‘USA have a way to go to fulfil Moonshot mission but 2031 RWC will be a success’

    Host having an automatic entry has always been moot since all RWCs thru 2027 have been hosted by Tier one countries.

    7 Go to comments
    J
    JW 54 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    No faith in your Boks aye? What are they going to think ready this in the comments section?

    122 Go to comments
    J
    JW 57 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    And BA takes New Zealand one up in the series..

    122 Go to comments
    G
    GP 57 minutes ago
    New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention

    Scott Barrett does not deserve to be dropped. Patrick T. played well in recent series. But Scott is better and indeed played great in helping the Crusaders win Super Rugby. He should remain the captain as well.

    80 Go to comments
    R
    RS 57 minutes ago
    ‘USA have a way to go to fulfil Moonshot mission but 2031 RWC will be a success’

    From the days of Dan Lyle and later Todd Clever I had said that the Eagles team would eventually be better when more of such US players starred in top competitions outside the USA. The US needs at least 10-20 such to be augmented by the MLR level player types now on the USA roster. They are only a few such on the Eagles roster now with a larger contingent unlikely to be there by 2031. The MLR might prove this point by staging a select side match at the end of its season pitting an “Eagles and Eagles eligible” team against a team of MLR “foreign import” players. The “Imports” would win a majority, perhaps overwhelming majority of such encounters. The MLR cannot afford to pay for an event such as this so might World Rugby fund it to help gauge the progress toward a “Tranquility Base” for USA Rugby at the 2031 RWC?

    7 Go to comments
    J
    JW 59 minutes ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    Do you see some standouts in the All Blacks do you?


    I can’t say I see any in South Africa, either, myself. Maybe Kolbe and Roigard?

    122 Go to comments
    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    We started it first, schools hitting the headlines a few months ago.

    122 Go to comments
    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    It grows each year.

    122 Go to comments
    Y
    YeowNotEven 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    Yeah. As if a team would ever get to a World Cup final and need a fourth choice 10 to kick a winning goal or something.

    122 Go to comments
    C
    CN 1 hour ago
    What improvements can we expect to see from Wales in Australia Tests?

    Alex Callender has been Wales most consistent player over the past 2 years so it is understandable being given the co-captaincy. Fitness isn’t the only issue with Wales, they have a decent backline but struggle to get them into the game, quicker ball, front foot rugby and create space for the backs is the next stage

    1 Go to comments
    Y
    YeowNotEven 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    I wouldn’t go so far as to call him complete rubbish, he’s a good fill in if there is a major injury crisis.

    But Razor will give Simon Parker or TK Howden or someone a shot before he picks Ethan Blackadder again. Depending on what injury needs covering.

    122 Go to comments
    Y
    YeowNotEven 1 hour ago
    Galthie backs yet more youth to topple All Blacks, dropping two 50-cap veterans

    Except Rassie doesn’t pull that on the big teams like the All Blacks.

    And France have been sending second string sides to NZ for years and (2009 aside) have been getting torched.

    And how many WCs have France won?

    France can “build the next generation and it’s great experience!” all they want but after two and a half decades of RWC failure, they probably should try something else.

    Like, touring their best side away from home against the best teams.

    Like Rassie does.

    69 Go to comments
    C
    CN 1 hour ago
    Ruby Tui misses out as Black Ferns name squad for Rugby World Cup

    Not surprised Ruby isn’t travelling just because of the previous omissions. It’s a balanced squad with age and experience but light on kickers

    4 Go to comments
    G
    GP 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    People making silly comments about players who won a Super Rugby title 5 weeks ago belong in a “loony bin” re Simon Parker being ahead of Ethan Blackadder thinking process is worthy of a hospital itself.

    122 Go to comments
    G
    GP 1 hour ago
    Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

    Complete rubbish.

    122 Go to comments
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