Dangermen of the Rugby World Cup: Quade Cooper

Rugby World Cup: In world rugby, there are few more dangerous players than Australia’s Quade Cooper. What makes a player dangerous is not down to size and strength alone. Cooper’s creativity is his biggest weapon and will no doubt make him a wild card to look out for in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

The 27-year-old flyhalf from Brisbane has been a feature in Australian rugby since 2007 when he made his debut for the Reds in Super Rugby. Cooper was actually born in Auckland, New Zealand but moved to Australia with his family at an early age. A fortuitous move for Australian rugby as it turns out.

Cooper was awarded the 2010 Super 14 Player of the Year award and won the competition with the Reds in 2012. Known for his flamboyant playstyle Cooper epitomises the term ‘mercurial’. Unpredictable and quick with a venomous left boot, Cooper presents opposition with a whole bunch of questions when he hits the field. Questions that often go unanswered — questions that lead to Wallaby victories more often than not.

Quade Cooper’s tenacity and aggression is highlighted by the fact that he also tried his hand at boxing, in which he also excelled, winning his first two matches by knockout and TKO, respectively. This winning mentality carries over in his rugby and can be seen playing a role when he runs with the ball, encouraging free and open play where he can let his creativity loose.

His trademark goose step and difficult-to-handle up and unders have made him a thorn in the side of many local and international opposition teams. His partnership with scrumhalf Will Genea has produced one of the most memorable and dangerous combinations in recent times. As the younger generation of Wallabies are making their way through the ranks it remains to be seen if Cooper will play the decisive role he hungers for in this year’s World Cup. In any case, for Australia it doesn’t hurt to have a wild card such as Quade Cooper in your arsenal come big game time.