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Brad Thorn publicly explains reasons for axing "struggling" Cooper
By Online Editors
New Queensland Reds head coach Brad Thorn has publicly spoken to reporters for the first time about his decision to drop flyhalf Quade Cooper.
“I thought Quade last year... the team struggled, his game management, his attack, his defence (struggled)'' Thorn explained.
“I’m in this role — sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions.”
“I played against him as a Crusader, as an All Black. He’s played over 100 games for this club — he’s had success here,” he said.
“He’s a guy who’s served this club really well.
“Respect to the guy, but we’re just going in a different way.”
The 29-year-old playmaker has not been at Reds training since Thorn told him late last year his services wouldn't be needed in 2018, advising the Reds will grant a release if he found a new club.
Unless an overseas team is prepared to make an offer, it is likely Cooper will play Brisbane club rugby this year, on call in case of an injury crisis. With back stocks bolstered by late signings in the last few weeks, it will take an improbable series of events to see Cooper back in a Reds uniform.
“We’re doing what we’re doing now. But he’s part of the squad.
“He’ll be trying his best with his club rugby and it’s a tough old season, isn’t it?
“At the moment, we’ve got some depth around that position — Hamish Stewart coming through, Jono Lance, Ben Lucas can play there.
“There’s a bit of stuff there.
“It’s competitive, which is what I’m getting a little bit excited about — I’m liking the competition in most positions and I feel like maybe that hasn’t been here.”
He still has two more years to run on his Reds contract which will be a large sunk cost if Cooper is unable to find another club and plays club rugby on a reported $800,000 per season.
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So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
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