Quade Cooper's Kaikohe grandma dies

The late Millie Cooper with a photo of her famous grandson, Quade Cooper. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Millie Cooper, the Kaikohe grandmother of Australian rugby player Quade Cooper, has died. She was in her early 80s.

Mrs Cooper was a staunch defender of her grandson, who often visited her in the Christmas holidays and stayed at the Orrs Rd home where he spent part of his childhood. There he was just one of the family and enjoyed the relative anonymity Kaikohe offered.

In the lead-up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, when criticism of the Wallabies first five was particularly intense, she went public with her support and urged people to "stop bad-mouthing him and leave him alone".

"He's a good boy. I suppose all grandmothers say that," she said.

Photos of her grandson, in action on the field and with the Queen, took pride of place on her living room wall. He is currently playing for Toulon in France.

Mrs Cooper was a sporting achiever in her own right. She was a long-time member of the Kaikohe Bowling Club and, along with her late husband Nesbit, had won a swag of medals in international competitions. Mrs Cooper passed away on Tuesday. A service will be held at 11.30am at Te Huruhi Marae , Awarua, followed by interment in the nearby urupa.