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What Quade Cooper said to dropped positional rival

James O'Connor and Quade Cooper. (Photo by Steven Markham/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Quade Cooper is backing dumped playmaker James O’Connor to regain form and force his way back into the Wallabies’ ranks in time for next year’s Rugby World Cup.

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Cooper, who has been sidelined since rupturing an Achilles tendon in Australia’s Rugby Championship clash with Argentina earlier this month, has been joined on the sidelines by O’Connor, who was a shock axing following their record loss to the Pumas in the second Test.

O’Connor’s place in the squad was taken by 71-Test veteran Bernard Foley, who is in the mix to play five-eighth in Adelaide on Saturday against South Africa.

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Cooper had “no doubt” that 32-year-old O’Connor could bounce back, based on his own experience of returning to the Wallabies following five years in exile.

He said he had given the Queensland Reds ace advice to focus on himself rather than the end of goal of returning to the Test fold.

“I said to James your focus can’t be solely that your worth is based in being selected in the Wallabies,” Cooper told AAP.

“You have to find your worth every day in who you are now, what are the habits, the things you do as a man every day, what you pride yourself on. If they’re the right things, they will put you in a good place to be selected for the Wallabies along your own journey.

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“So physically, as an athlete, mentally as a man, just continue to work at those and work at it, not to get back into the Wallabies, just for yourself to be better every day.

“When and if you are selected to come back in you will just go about it like it’s your every day – that’s what held me in a good place.”

While Cooper and Foley played in Japan in recent seasons, the fact they were in different divisions means the pair have only met once on the field in recent times.

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But Cooper expects the two-time World Cup veteran to be up for the challenge of taking on the world champion Springboks.

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Foley, also 32, only joined the Wallabies this week, so youngster Noah Lolesio is more likely to start at five-eighth for the Adelaide Oval Test.

“You never lose your ability so I don’t know how he is physically, if he has any injuries or anything like that, but from all accounts he was playing good football in Japan,” said Cooper, who was in Melbourne to promote next month’s Bledisloe Cup.

“I imagine he’s going to slot straight in if he gets an opportunity and it will be great for Noah as well, being around a guy who’s been there and done it at the highest level, and will give him a different perspective.”

Cooper could see a silver lining in the Wallabies’ 48-17 loss to the Pumas, which came after a swag of injuries as well as the departure of skipper Michael Hooper from the tour for mental health reasons.

“It was a very young team facing a lot of adversity and losing lot of experience in such a short time,” he said.

“But that’s how you gain experience, other guys got opportunities so I think that in the long run it’s going to be great for the team.”

– Melissa Woods

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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