Wallabies out of excuses – Cooper

Editor

Australia have “run out of excuses” and players must look at themselves if they want to avoid defeat to Argentina this weekend.

Australia have “run out of excuses” and players must look at themselves and their preparations if they want to avoid defeat to Argentina this weekend.

That is the word from Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper, who was named players' player by his team-mates after their 28-8 loss to the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday.

Cooper called on his team to support coach Ewen McKenzie's vision for the side and stick together.

“We can't keep using excuses – we've run out of excuses as a team in terms of how we go about each week,” Cooper told reporters in Cape Town.

“We've just got to put it down to hard work, sticking together as a team, backing our coach, backing our players, and we've got to strive for more success.”

Cooper, who gave an improved defensive display and set up Test debutant Chris Feauai-Sautia for the Wallabies' only try, said each player must work out what suited them best in preparation.

''There's no right or wrong and we can't finger point and say this is how you prepare and this is how you don't and that's what you get with experience,'' he explained.

''Guys start to figure out what's best for them and they'll learn from it. I used to think it was best to be out and about and now I'm sitting in the hotel more, watching more footage or looking after my body.

“I know what I have to do to be able to contribute to the team. Each player individually will continue to get better.”