Kaikohe gran's backing Quade

He's thanked them for their support during the Rugby World Cup - but Quade Cooper's Kaikohe fan base will switch allegiances when their favourite son takes the field against the All Blacks on Sunday.

Wallaby first five Cooper has sent his thanks to Kaikohe - home of his grandmother Millie Cooper - but the Northland support will be behind the All Blacks when they play Australia on Sunday.

Kaikohe bowling mates of Cooper's grandmother Millie have given the Tokoroa-born player a heart-warming boost of confidence which, they hope, does not translate into a Wallabies win.

Cooper acknowledged during a media conference in Auckland this week that some Kiwis still lobbed the love his way, despite his baiting of All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw at previous meetings between the two top teams.

Dubbed public enemy No1 in New Zealand, Cooper is constantly booed by Kiwi fans, especially when he kicks conversions.

Despite the verbal abuse, he said good luck messages had come from Tokoroa to Northland.

"She [his grandmother] sends me a lot of text messages that all her friends from her local bowls club are right behind me, so that gives you a very heart-warming boost of confidence."

Mrs Cooper, who will support the Wallabies on Sunday, still lives at the tidy Kaikohe home where Quade spent much of his childhood.

Pictures of the whanau are everywhere, but pride of place in Mrs Cooper's living room - above even her and her late husband's international bowling medals - is an action photo of her grandson in the yellow jersey, about to offload. On the opposite wall is a photo of Quade and teammates with the Queen, taken a few years ago at Buckingham Palace.

Of her famous grandson, she said: "He's a good boy. I suppose all grandmothers say that." On who she thought would win the second semifinal, she said: "May the best team win. If the Wallabies don't win, it's not the end of the world. It's just another game.

"I just want people bad-mouthing him to leave him alone ... that's all out of jealousy to him."

Kaikohe Bowling Club president Dion Davis said the bowlers supported Mrs Cooper and her grandson but would remain loyal to the ABs.

"We have known Millie and her husband Nesbit for many years and we would like to think we're supporting her, but this week it's a bit tough," he said.

"As close as we are to her and Quade, when it comes to the All Blacks and Wallabies game, we can't switch loyalty," Mr Davis said.

A great aunt of Cooper, who lives in Kaikohe, can't pick out a clear winner for the epic clash but is likely to tilt towards the ABs.

"He's a nice boy, not arrogant," she said.