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Wellington - Former Wallabies skipper Nick Farr-Jones has labelled Quade Cooper a "boofhead" for constantly baiting All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, saying his antics only increase New Zealand's motivation.
Farr-Jones, who led Australia to Rugby World Cup glory in 1991, blasted Cooper for not respecting McCaw and warned it could backfire if the Wallabies meet the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final next month.
"I'm pretty sure, if by chance we end up playing together on October 23, it might just come back and bite him on the arse," Farr-Jones told commercial radio in New Zealand.
"There's no doubt it could come back and bite you and it won't be just him, it will be the whole squad that will be impacted by it."
Cooper, 23, targeted McCaw with a string of taunts, shoves and digs in the recent Tri-Nations series but escaped punishment after kneeing the New Zealand skipper in the face after the contact was deemed accidental.
Since his arrival in New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup, Cooper has revelled in his self-declared role as the country's "public enemy number one", attracting a chorus of boos from locals whenever he touches the ball.
New Zealanders' animosity to the star flyhalf is only deepened by the fact that he was born a kiwi but moved to Australia as a teenager.
Farr-Jones said senior figures in the Wallaby camp, possibly coach Robbie Deans or captain James Horwill, should tell Cooper to tone down the taunts.
"Someone should tell boofheads like that to pull their head in," he said.
"I only played in the amateur days but I don't care whether it's amateur or professional, or what sport you play, sport is all about respecting the opposition and respecting the great culture when you're playing the All Blacks."
