Rugby Union Cooper recall likely under McKenzie

Incoming coach Ewen McKenzie has all-but confirmed controversial playmaker Quade Cooper will be back in the Wallabies fold to face the All Blacks in next months’ Bledisloe Cup opener – but he stopped short of endorsing incumbent flyhalf James O’Connor.

Cooper was controversially omitted from Robbie Deans’ 31-man squad that suffered a 2-1 series defeat against the British and Irish Lions, with O’Connor preferred at flyhalf.

Deans has repeatedly insisted the Reds playmaker was dropped on form, however it is widely believed Cooper’s cards were marked after he labelled the Wallabies environment ‘toxic’ last September.

But the Kiwi-born playmaker, who has spent four seasons under McKenzie at the Reds, appears certain to return to face his former countrymen in the Bledisloe Cup opener in Sydney on August 17.

“Everyone knows my thoughts on Quade,” McKenzie said on Tuesday.

“I think Quade’s an outstanding player and I’m now in a position to control exactly who’s going to play and who isn’t.

“I’ll be picking a team that I think can beat the All Blacks, I’m really looking forward to that task.

“I think we’ve got a really good bunch of players, we’ve got great depth. If we think about it properly and invest in some of the players we’ve got I think we can have a really good combination and put a lot of pressure on the All Blacks.

McKenzie was coy when pressed on whether he sees O’Connor, who has played most of his 40 Tests on the wing, as a flyhalf.

“Obviously we’ve had a good look (at O’Connor) over the last three games,” McKenzie said.

“I’ve got strong opinions about lots of players but until I sit in front of them and talk to them and actually see them on the training field …. I’ve never coached James O’Connor.

“There’s a bunch of players like that. I’ll have to work all that out.”

While O’Connor’s on-field performance was a contentious issue throughout the Lions series, his off-field behaviour landed also landed him in hot water.

First he was photographed in Hungry Jacks at 4am three days before the second Test with partner in crime Kurtley Beale.

After conceding the early-morning burger raid was ‘an error of judgement’ and declaring it won’t happen again, O’Connor and Beale then missed the team bus to training in the lead-up to the third Test – a fact ARU boss Bill Pulver confirmed on Tuesday.

Asked if sorting out the team’s off-field behaviour is his top priority, McKenzie, who is known for his ability to work with ‘Gen Y’ players, replied: “There are a thousand things I need to work on … I think getting clarity around what is expected at the Wallaby level is critical.

“I am an ex-Wallaby so I have a very strong opinion about what that means …and I’ll make it quite clear about what I think is important to be a Wallaby and what that means and the sacrifices you need to make.”

“… I’ve learned one thing, the bigger investment you make at the front end the less running around with a big stick you have to do at the other end.

“My intention is not to run around with a big stick all the time, my intention is to invest up front, spend time understanding the players and understanding their total environment and the more you can cut things off at the pass the better.”

Article source: http://www.sportal.com.au/rugby-union-news-display/aru-confirm-deans-departure-242909

Rugby Union Cooper recall likely under McKenzie