Confident Quade Cooper will play for the Wallabies - Rugby News Update
The Queensland Reds fly-half, Quade Cooper, is delighted to be given a place in the Australian Squad for the upcoming Tests against Scotland and Wales.
The 24-year-old Cooper is certain that he is fit enough to take the field for the Wallabies, and play a starting role as the fly-half in the upcoming Test match against Scotland on June 5, even though he missed out on rugby for seven months due to an injury.
Before the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, Cooper showed impressive form, forcing selectors to appoint the future international star in the national team for the biggest prize in the rugby world, but during the tournament Cooper could not find the skills
and form he showcased when he was playing with his club and in the Tri-Nations.
Nevertheless, in the bronze final against the Wales, Cooper started to show his skills and showing evidence of his form coming back, but late in the first half Cooper sustained a knee injury.
Succeeding to Cooper’s backfire in the World Cup campaign, the Wallabies boss Robbie Deans started to spiff up the youngster O’Connor.
The playmaker, O’Connor, will train with the camp this weekend, but he will not be available for the Tests in June.
With the injured Kurtley Beale out of action for more than a month, the Wallabies' coach, Robbie Deans, may need Cooper to start at five-eighth in the upcoming Tests matches next month.
After Cooper’s comeback from injury, he has only played a game-and-a-half for the Reds.
However the training camp this weekend will determine if either Cooper or Berrick Barnes will start against Scotland, although Cooper is the favorite.
"I'm very confident," said Cooper. "I've played a game-and-a-half for the [Queensland] Reds now, and I was happy with how I went out there. It is now just a matter of continuing to tick the boxes, and if I get the opportunity,
I will be putting my hand up and giving it everything I've got.”
"I've done a lot of hard work during the seven months I've been out, and they were seven very tough months. But the reason you do that hard work is to be ready for opportunities like this one," he added.
Tags: