Share

Cooper ready for Wallaby role

Sydney - Quade Cooper may have only played 120 minutes in two matches back from major knee surgery, but the Wallaby flyhalf said on Monday he was ready to start against Scotland in Newcastle next week.

The Wallabies have been experiencing a dire run with injuries to their prospective No 10s ahead of the home internationals against the Scots, followed by three Tests with Wales.

Kurtley Beale (shoulder), fellow Melbourne Rebels star James O'Connor (liver laceration) and Brumbies pivot Christian Lealiifano (knee) are all sidelined leaving Cooper as the only specialist No 10 in Robbie Deans's 39-man train-on squad announced on Sunday.

The injuries have increasing Cooper's chances of regaining the jersey after shaky performances at last year's World Cup in New Zealand.

The mercurial Queenslander ruptured knee ligaments himself in the World Cup playoff for third place against the Welsh seven months ago.

But 24-year-old made an impressive 40-minute return in the Reds' 34-20 Super Rugby win over the Lions before playing out the whole 80 minutes in Saturday's 13-12 victory over the Brumbies.

Despite his limited playing time, Cooper believes he is ready to lead the Wallabies' attack against the Scots.

"I'm very confident. I've only played one game and a half and felt good when I was out there," Cooper said.

"It's a matter of just keep ticking the boxes and keep moving along. If I get the opportunity, I'll put my hand up and give it everything I've got."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE