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Quade Cooper’s playful message as former All Black gets last laugh in Japan

14 Jan 2024

Quade Cooper during an Australian Wallabies training camp at Sanctuary Cove on January 12, 2023 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Quade Cooper has shared a playful message on social media after former All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith bested the Wallabies playmaker in Japan Rugby League One on Sunday afternoon.

In the fifth round of the world-famous Japanese professional rugby competition, which boasts impressive lineups of international stars, Kintetsu Liners took on Toyota Verblitz.

Cooper, 32, plies his trade with Kintetsu alongside former Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia – who won a Super Rugby title with the Queensland Reds alongside Cooper in 2011.

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But waiting for the underdogs in the Toyota Verblitz lineup was supposed to be Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith. While Barrett was withdrawn at the last minute, Smith took the field.

Lining up opposite friendly rival in Genia, Smith started the match for Toyota Verblitz but left the field shortly after. The highly anticipated matchup wouldn’t go much further.

Unfortunately for Cooper and Genia, their favoured opponents still managed to pull away as they won the contest 47-14 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium.

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While Smith didn’t play too much, the New Zealand rugby great “beat” the two Australian internationals once again – just as he did a number of times in the coveted black jersey.

“Yes he beat us again ffs,” Cooper wrote on social media, followed by a crying emoji.

“Much love brother always good to share the field with the greats!

“We will look to build on the good things and fix all the poor moments from yesterday. Thanks to our fans for the support, we will be better as we continue to figure things out this season.”

The loss is Kintetsu Liners’ fifth of the season. They’re now anchored to the bottom of the Conference B standings with fifth-place Black Rams five points ahead.

As for Smith and Barrett’s Toyota Verblitz, they’re third on 14 competition points – but there’s no denying that Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights are the team to beat.

Following an utterly relentless 81-21 victory over Mitsubishi Dynaboards on Saturday, the Wild Knights are the only unbeaten team in the conference.

Comments

1 Comment

NHinSH 443 days ago

That hair loss treatment is good, makes RP take 3 years off your age

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IkeaBoy 8 minutes ago

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DS 28 minutes ago

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DS 35 minutes ago

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My bad. Let’s just carry on failing with the same tried and true. When DMac was 10 v France in Dunedin the ABs scored 7 tries; the same in Mendoza. Let's leave him on the bench till the game is already lost or better yet in the stands just in case he might run sideways. BB and SloMo can get the job done. No need to take a risk, especially now that Razor loves his Little Mo. SA will be delighted. No risk Kiwi - that’s the answer / the road to Cup success!

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Blackmania 41 minutes ago

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IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

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IkeaBoy 1 hour ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

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Mitch 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

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fl 1 hour ago

Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

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One factor that might be important is that NBA and the NFL are 1 league sports. Rugby league is pretty much a 2 league sport, and those 2 leagues are so far apart there can’t be much trading between them. Rugby union and especially association football have many more leagues, and so there are more opportunities for younger managers to break through.

Also, the fact that Rugby tends to have less chopping and changing of coaches is an argument against hiring older coaches. Hire a good coach in his 40s and he could stay in the job for 20 years, but realistically how long would Les Kiss be the best coach in Australia for?

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LE 2 hours ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

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fl 2 hours ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

on what basis is earl a better 7 than 8?

his best test level performances have all been at 8. He’s a great club level openside, but has only ever performed well there in international rugby when there has been a specialist openside elsewhere in the back row who is able to share the defensive workload.

you’re right that Pollock won’t go to the Lions, but he’s a much better 8 than he is a 7. That’s because - like Earl - his carrying game is immense but his defensive workrate is a step behind players like Curry, Curry, Underhill, and Pepper.

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fl 2 hours ago

'He's a special player': Lawrence Dallaglio backs Henry Pollock to be Lions bolter

he’s never played 6

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Spew_81 2 hours ago

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It will keep happening until the eligibility rules are properly fixed.

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JD Kiwi 3 hours ago