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'It hurts' - Quade Cooper breaks silence on shock Wallabies withdrawl

Quade Cooper /Getty

Wallabies standoff Quade Cooper has taken to social media following his shock withdrawal from his side’s tour of Europe, which comes despite his outstanding recent form in the Rugby Championship.

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Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie confirmed that Cooper had withdrawn from the Wallabies final three Tests of 2021 to remain with his club Kintetsu in Japan. Cooper joined Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon in withdrawing in a move that has left Rugby Australia fuming on the eve of upcoming Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.

Australia beat the World Champion Springboks twice during the Rugby Championship and a revived Cooper played a major role in their success after returning to the camp four years after his last outing in the green and gold.

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      An emotional Quade Cooper wrote: “My growth as a man is being able to admit I’m hurt. It hurts that I won’t be on tour to Europe with my teammates, especially after experiencing so much growth and overcoming challenges each week,” Cooper wrote.

      “I’m hurt that I couldn’t please everyone and keep both my employer and country happy. But although I am hurting now, the happiness I feel from my journey to this point far outweighs the hurt.

      “I am so thankful to everyone, from my club Kinetsu Liners for allowing me to play for Australia again to Renz and the Wallabies staff for inviting me in to what proved to be an incredible atmosphere and for all your efforts the past few months but most of all to my teammates and brothers.

      “We challenge each other to be better each day and as a result we saw enormous growth as both men and as athletes. Thank you for making the last few months possible.

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      “This journey has no finish line and my efforts to continue to walk this path will not change. What’s meant to be will be.”

      Wallabies boss Rennie accepted that Cooper was ‘torn’ over the decision, saying at a press conference earlier today that: “”He’s torn. He wants to be here, he wants to be a Wallaby, but he feels loyalty to his club. In the end he’s made a decision that he feels is the right one.

      “We want guys who are desperate to be Wallabies. I know Quade says he is, but he’s torn. If he had the blessing of the club he would come.”

      Kurtley Beale, Rory Arnold, Tolu Latu and Will Skelton will arrive into Australia’s camp in Brighton from their French clubs on Monday ahead of the autumn opener at Murrayfield on November 7.

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      – additional reporting AAP and PA.

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      Comments

      4 Comments
      i
      isaac 1209 days ago

      If the aussies drop a few matches on this tour by close calls....RA will be wishing to bring Quadr and Kerevi back into Super rugby, no matter the price

      K
      Ken 1209 days ago

      Money speaks

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      JW 2 hours ago
      'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

      (sharing duties with one of our best ever in BB puts him firmly on that pedestal).

      First, in reply to your other post, Richie was only a 2 year AB when he signed after the 19’ WC, so he would be on nothing like what BB is. Instead of re-signing in 22’ for longer with NZR, he simply extended that deal that was likely a standard 300k AB retainer, getting little extra in place for the freedom of going to the market for 24’ onwards.


      All that link was for was to show that he would have been in talks while ‘sharing’ 10 duties, as apposed to where is commonly though, like in Spew’s arguments, both after he claimed the starting jersey at Cape Town, and when it was obvious Razor was going to be the next coach. The thing I think you’re missing their is that BB wasn’t sharing, if he wasn’t the 10, he was the 15, so 100% as apposed to Richies 50%, ie correlating to a 2 to 1 valuation in their (Richies) contract value as well.


      So I can definitely understand why Richie made the call early to seek a big offer from Japan, and who really knows, maybe his performances in August, even against Japan in October were in time to still be able to bump up his value? But you never hear about these signings as theyre done, announcements are scheduled months later more than not (so a December announcement wouldn’t have left much negotiating time).


      So a four year (detractors like HHT will round up to 5) AB at the time does not get offered a sabbatical IMO, especially when they were in the process of negotiating one for Barrett (BB ended up signing in Japan with options for longer right, but NZ came to him with a deal to come back, calling it a sabbatical?). All in all and as always, your outlook is tempered and reasonable Chief, I was just sharing my picture for those that try to ‘blame’ either party.

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