Wallabies Quade Cooper happy with his performance in Tri-Nations opener - Rugby News
Wallabies’ star player, Quade Cooper, has admitted that he was under immense pressure in their last game against the Springboks. The experienced kicker played a vital role in his team’s victory despite suffering from flu.
The fly-half looked like he would miss the crucial game due to the illness but in the end he was able to impress the selectors. Cooper had previously started off from the benches in their shocking defeat against Samoa. Cooper told reporters on July 24 that
he was not sure he would play the game because he was feeling under the weather.
The Wallabies battled past the inexperienced South Africans with great ease in the opening match of the Tri-Nations Cup on July 23 and won by 39-20. The Springboks, who made large changes in their squad, looked totally off colour in the first-half and provided
a number of opportunities to the full strength side from Australia. The Wallabies scored five tries in the match to grab an early victory in the tournament.
Cooper played a supporting role in the match and produced several chances to score in both halves. The instrumental player, who is famous for his clean kicks on penalties and conversions stayed away from the job as the Wallabies applied James O’Connor for
the particular task. O’Connor scored on four conversions and two penalty kicks for his team.
Talking to the journalists Quade Cooper said that, “I wouldn't say I was a chance of missing, you're going to play a Test match every opportunity you get. I'm sure that no matter how sick you are you're going to get up for a
Test match. I was a bit nervous, but I'm just glad that my body got back in shape.”
Cooper also praised his side for the good job and said that, “Rugby's never very much a perfect game so I'm very happy with the efforts of the boys and the way that everyone just kept backing up. The skill that they show, and
we're great mates away from the field and I think that shows out on the field.”
The Wallabies will now take on the All Blacks in their next clash of the Tri-Nations Cup on August 6.
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