Aussie coach unaware of hostility to Quade Cooper

Name: Rugby: Wallabies 'Why I picked Quade Cooper'
Uploaded: 2015-08-14T10:38:19+12:00
Duration: 185 s
Description: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika claims he was unaware of the hostility directed at Quade Cooper in New Zealand but that would not have changed his selection for tomorrow's Bledisloe Cup decider.

By Wynne Gray

NZ Herald·

13 Aug, 2015 09:34 PM2 mins to read

Wallaby coach Michael Cheika claims he was unaware of the hostility directed at Quade Cooper in New Zealand but that would not have changed his selection for tomorrow's Bledisloe Cup decider.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika claims he was unaware of the hostility directed at Quade Cooper in New Zealand but that would not have changed his selection for tomorrow's Bledisloe Cup decider.

He wanted to test both Bernard Foley and Cooper at five eighths against the All Blacks just as he had mixed up his starting sides on the Wallabies end of year tour to Europe.

He believed in Cooper's qualities and his turbulent history playing the All Blacks in New Zealand was irrelevant.

Cooper became the pantomime villain during the 2011 World Cup because of his history in kneeing All Black captain Richie McCaw in the face. The five eighths was a weak link in the Wallabies semi-final defeat to the All Blacks and then wrecked his knee in the playoff.
"I think I am the only one who didn't know about (Cooper's Kiwi past), to be honest," Cheika told the Daily Telegraph.

"I believe in him a lot, as a person and as a player, like I do in all my players. I don't think that's fair to anyone if I don't pick a player ... because of where we are playing. I don't think that would be right by me. It would be weakness by me as well, if I was scared of that."

Picking Cooper was part of a pre-arranged schedule and the Wallabies 27-19 victory in Sydney and chance to claim the Bledisloe Cup tomorrow, would not alter that plan.

"Just because we won in Sydney I didn't want to change my approach," Cheika said.

"I just wanted to have a look at the combination of him (Cooper) and (Matt) Toomua together. They did play together a bit on the Spring Tour together and I like what they did together."

Cheika said Cooper was talented and improving on and off the field. He was a strong trainer and he wanted to back that as he made the Wallabies a moving target as he kept the All Blacks guessing..

Tomorrow's test at Eden Park is the Wallabies' chance to win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in 12 years and end a 29-year Auckland hoodoo.

Cheika acknowledged a strong forward platform was the key for any five eighths to operate.