Quade Cooper omitted from Wallabies squad – but Cheika leaves door open for return | Sport
Quade Cooper has been omitted from Michael Cheika’s extended Wallabies squad ahead of next month’s Bledisloe Cup opener against the All Blacks, although the coach indicated the decision would not spell the end of the flashy but often unpredictable playmaker’s international career.
The move leaves Bernard Foley as the only specialist flyhalf in the extended squad picked by Cheika for a series of training camps starting north of Sydney next week. Kurtley Beale, a utility back who recently returned from England, was recalled to the squad for the first time since the 2015 World Cup and is only other potential No10 in the initial group.
Cooper’s omission is his first based on form since former Wallaby coach Robbie Deans left him out of the 2013 British and Irish Lions series. “One of the big things is for him to look like he’s enjoying his footy and getting out there and really being a competitor for that 10 jersey,†Cheika said.
“We have had a talk about the reasons why and obviously a lot of that is around trying to get him back into the space where he can be that player that is going to get us around the park and do the stuff we want him to do. I don’t feel like that has been happening. I really want to give him a clear picture of how to get back into the scene and put himself out there for selection.â€
Eleven uncapped players were named in the initial 40-man group, which excludes ACT Brumbies players set to contest a Super Rugby playoff against the Wellington Hurricanes on Friday.
Backrower Scott Higginbotham, who has played 34 Tests for Australia, was one of the other notable omissions. Western Force props Pek Cowan and Tetera Faulkner were rewarded for their Super Rugby form and are back in the national frame for the first time since their last tests in 2014. The Test squad will be chosen in the first week of August.
“We have a lot of work to get done between now and 9 August when we play New Zealand in Sydney,†Cheika said. “That work started in June, we tried to maintain some of that throughout the last rounds of Super Rugby and now we start to take it up a level.â€
Australian train-on squad: Forwards: Jermaine Ainsley, Adam Coleman, Pek Cowan, Jack Dempsey, Kane Douglas, Sef Fa’agase, Tetera Faulkner, Ned Hanigan, Richard Hardwick, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Adam Korczyk, Tolu Latu, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore (captain), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Lopeti Timani, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese. Backs: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Campbell Magnay, Billy Meakes, Eto Nabuli, Sefa Naivalu, Izaia Perese, Nick Phipps, Curtis Rona.
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