Boxing distraction: Quade Cooper
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Reds boss Ewen McKenzie expects Quade Cooper to line up for his team's Super Rugby warm-up games in February despite his unresolved contract issues and plans for a boxing match.
Cooper is on the undercard of Sonny Bill Williams' heavyweight bout with Francois Botha in Brisbane on February 8, six days after the Reds' first trial match against the Blues at the Toowoomba Sports Ground.
The Wallaby playmaker has inked a three-year deal with the Reds which has yet to be ratified by the Australian Rugby Union since the fallout with national coach Robbie Deans, and McKenzie wants all his fit players to turn out against the Blues, including Cooper.
"He's signed with us and I'm progressing on that basis," McKenzie told AAP.
"Everyone will play; how much time will vary depending on what's going on.
"So we'll see what the circumstances are like at the time."
The Reds open their Super Rugby campaign against the Brumbies in Canberra a week after their second pre-season game, which Cooper is also expected to feature in since a full-strength team is likely to be picked.
"We've got to get off to a flyer," McKenzie said.
"We've got the Brumbies and then the Waratahs at home so we have to make sure we're ready to go."
Comments
melkdave says...
Cant get my head around QCwanting to be a boxer lol,he avoids tackling like the plague on the pitch
Posted 14:33 06th December 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Quade: boxing needs haymakers not playmakers. Easy mistake.
Posted 12:27 06th December 2012
piriaka says...
bugger - thought we had got rid of the hollywood!
Posted 11:22 06th December 2012
isthatrightref says...
Oz media outlets are reporting that QC & ARU will sign a 2-year, $800K deal as soon as Friday: that's pretty much what he was offered & refused just prior to his Rugby Club hissy fit & considerably more than the 1-year $200K max offer tabled after it - no doubt both sides will claim victory but hopefully this will put the whole sorry mess to bed.
Posted 08:42 06th December 2012
2eyedkiwi says...
"is on fire"? You mean "once was on fire". Maybe as a club player last year. Since then he's been found out and conveniently blames the coach. I wouldn't have thought an ex-Wallaby like McKenzie would have any faith in a person who puts himself before the yellow Wallabie jersey.
Posted 06:13 06th December 2012
Trinats2 says...
Cooper is on fire with the Reds and McKenzie, wonder why when under Deans he goes into his shell ?? Toxic ??
As someone said on a news site,
Let Cooper play for the Reds, he makes $ for a few boxing matches which he will miss out with ARU and when Deans is gone, Cooper will be back.
Posted 21:25 05th December 2012
runnrugby says...
Plan B better not be Genia at 10 ay Ewen.
Posted 21:03 05th December 2012