Share

The pressure is on everyone - Cooper

Sydney - Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper has come to the defence of his head coach Michael Cheika after the Wallabies' spate of losses.

Australia have now lost six games in a row after their World Cup final negative, three defeats to England earlier in the year and most recently their two losses to the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship.

But the controversial number 10 has said the whole Wallabies team bare the cross not just Cheika.

"Whenever there's pressure, it's on everyone," Cooper told the Australian Associated Press.

"We'll support each other as a team, whether you're a player, staff member or coach.

"But it's not just about a one-off win and sitting back and saying 'the pressure's off us'.

"We need to do that week in, week out and make sure we set a good example for ourselves."

Australia's next game is against South Africa who haven't fared well of late after recording two historic losses this year already after their first home defeat ever to Ireland and their first loss on Argentine soil last weekend.

But Cooper says that they are planning for a tough Test against the Boks.

"We're not banking on them coming off the back of a bad performance and them getting worse," Cooper said

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!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 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