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Left out … Quade Cooper (Getty Images: Phil Walter, File Photo)
British and Irish Lions defence coach Andy Farrell says he is puzzled at Quade Cooper’s omission from Australia’s preliminary squad and wondered if the Wallabies were playing “mind games’ with their star fly half.
Farrell says the Wallabies may be trying to motivate Cooper to fight for his place after he was left off the initial squad of 25 players for the three-Test series against the Lions.
“Who knows what’s going on?” Farrell told reporters in Hong Kong, ahead of Saturday’s tour opener against the Barbarians.
“We don’t know whether it’s mind games that they’re playing with Cooper, but he seems to be playing pretty well to me.”
The Wallabies’ decision to overlook Cooper was the major talking point of their squad announcement and left the tourists guessing about whether they would be facing the Reds pivot or James O’Connor.
The move follows internal ructions after Cooper was fined and suspended last year for criticising coach Robbie Deans and complaining of a “toxic” atmosphere within the Wallabies set-up. Their full squad will be announced on June 11.
Cooper and O’Connor will go head-to-head on Saturday night when the Reds host the Rebels at Lang Park.
“I think you’ve got two fantastic players,” Farrell said.
“O’Connor? Coming back from injury but he’s a threat who can run the game. Quade Cooper? I think he’s playing some fantastic rugby at this moment in time.
“Whoever starts at 10 (for the Wallabies) will be a threat, there’s no doubt about that.”
Family support
The Lions’ New Zealand-born winger Sean Maitland, who is Cooper’s cousin, says the two were frequently in touch.
He admits Cooper was upset to be left out.
“He (Cooper) was a little disappointed, but he can do his talking on the field, which is what he has been doing,” Maitland said.
“He’s been playing awesome and I’m sure that for one of those six spots still to be filled for the Wallabies he’ll be right in the mix.”
The rugby-mad cousins grew up together and played for the same junior team in the New Zealand town of Tokoroa from the age of six.
Cooper left for Australia in his teens, whereas Maitland made his move only last year but soon won a first Scotland cap after qualifying on heritage grounds.
Maitland says he is amazed to have become a Lion so soon after.
“It’s been a crazy six or seven months,” Maitland said.
“Who’d have thought when I left New Zealand I’d be representing the British and Irish Lions?”
AFP
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Lions ponder "mind games" in Cooper omission
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