Staying put: Quade Cooper
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Fly-half Quade Cooper has finally ended speculation surrounding his future by signing a new two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and the Reds.
Cooper had earlier rejected an incentive-based contract, which was offered after a turbulent few months during which he criticised the "toxic" environment within the Wallabies and said his rugby career was "on hold".
But the ARU said Cooper, capped 38 times and who plays for the Reds, had re-signed through to the end of 2014.
"Quade can now look forward to getting back on the field next year and playing for the Reds and in turn stake his claim for re-selection in the Qantas Wallabies squad," ARU acting chief executive Matt Carroll said.
The 24-year-old had signed a three-year contract with the Reds earlier in the year, but this was contingent on him holding an ARU contract which was due to expire this month.
Cooper remained close with the Reds during the ARU impasse and Queensland Rugby president Jim Carmichael said the new deal was not a financial decision but about "getting the emotional piece right".
"The ARU has shown great support to bring this to a point where we have the right decision for the game, one of rugby's real talents and Quade's future," Carmichael told Brisbane's Courier Mail.
"Where there might not have been trust and understanding a few months ago, there has been positive dialogue and everyone working towards the same thing.
"I know Quade is in a really good place with what he wants to achieve for the Wallabies, as well as Queensland."
The deal ends months of disagreement between the parties, with Cooper's manager saying in November that negotiations with the ARU had ground to a halt and the player would make his boxing debut in the new year.
At the time, Cooper said he had started boxing as a way of keeping his fitness during rehabilitation from knee surgery and was preparing for a fight on February 8 on the undercard of a Sonny Bill Williams contest.
Comments
2EyedKiwi says...
That's the Bledisloe locked away for another 2 years...
Posted 17:25 07th December 2012
logophile says...
Darn, I thought we were done with him. I am an Australia supporter, but this guy just bugs me.
Posted 16:28 07th December 2012
carpelone says...
I don't like him, a spoiled prat in the best scenario.
Posted 15:27 07th December 2012
Trinats2 says...
sirtidychris:
"geniune mental issues with burgulary"
How does taken back a mates laptop that wasn't paid for constitute "burglary" ??? (no charges)
maybe a "genuine" mistake by you !!!
Posted 14:57 07th December 2012
Sincero says...
How odd... usually when you see the words 'Australian' and 'commits' in the same sentence there follows a list of crimes. ;-) Good man, Cooper!
Posted 14:16 07th December 2012
daibok says...
As a neutral observer I say that Australia are a better team without him and as their crock list shortens he shouldnt be needed. With the departure of Sharpe they have a hole to fill for leadership, graft and team spirit. He doesnt provide any of them.
Posted 13:53 07th December 2012
JayStarr says...
Good... Now Schalk Burger and Richie McCaw can have him for breakfast.
Posted 13:41 07th December 2012
cayzam says...
Damn! When I first read that he had 're-signed' I misread it and thought he had 'resigned'; which would have been better news. The guy's a tool.
Posted 12:56 07th December 2012
new_j4a says...
With this news, rugby becomes a little more like professional wrestling....but the sooner we see him in gold the better...clear path up the 10 channel. Also hope he is not going to disappoint his boxing fans....that first fight is going to be oversubscribed by rugby fans who want to see him finally take contact.
Posted 12:32 07th December 2012
Scrumpoacher says...
Oh well we tried to steer him away from union, clearly no one else wanted him either!
Posted 12:27 07th December 2012
heathy says...
I think sirtidychris has summed it up pretty well. He¿s clearly talented but clearly mental and very unreliable. The guy is an arse but on his day can play rugby. The problem is 'his day' doesn't happen that often in a gold jersey. I¿m therefore not quite sure why the Aussies have buckled. I didn't think they were that desperate (which in my view, they aren't). The entertainment has returned.
Posted 12:25 07th December 2012
Stellenbosched2 says...
As much as I don't like QC I suspect that a flyhalf in his mould is exactly what the Boks need right now. Keep the other side guessing while the defensive problems are covered by the rest of the team.
Posted 11:33 07th December 2012
Waz4before says...
For everyone that's shelled out hard-earned cash for a Reds membership next season - THIS IS FANTASTIC :-)
For those that haven't and just critical for the sake of it or are just trolls -- Go Get Stuffed :-)
Posted 11:33 07th December 2012
Spartacus says...
Personally I love the guy because he winds up NZ fans so much. Perhaps he should take 6 months off so he is fresh to give McCaw a kicking when he comes back?
Posted 10:40 07th December 2012
Spartacus says...
Personally I love the guy because he winds up NZ fans so much. Perhaps he should take 6 months off so he is fresh to give McCaw a kicking when he comes back?
Posted 10:39 07th December 2012
piriaka says...
bugger - thought we had got rid of him!
Posted 10:37 07th December 2012
louis77 says...
as loose as he is as a person, hes talanted and great to watch, the game needs more people with his talents
Posted 10:01 07th December 2012
alybaba says...
WHY? Unless he has learnt to tackle and be an asset defensively, I don't think he should pull on the gold jersey again. He's fine at Super level but a liability at test level.
Posted 09:48 07th December 2012
QKRAM79 says...
What a toss pot. I hate to see unions bending over backwards for these clowns.
Posted 09:44 07th December 2012
sirtidychris says...
Along with 1000's of other fans and spectators I don't like the guy....but he obviously has geniune mental issues with burgulary, up and down mood changes which he feels the need to vocalise publically, he's completely lost in his choices about sport and everything else. The guy is basically a bit mentally weak and lost and it doesn't help having blokes like Khoder Nasser directing his actions. Unfortunately hes now a bit of a pantomime villan in the media and he has made his path so much harder but i just hope he keeps his head down, mouth shut and gets back to being the fly half we saw direct the Queensland reds to the title, because he is a quality player on his day and it would be a shame to lose his talents.
Posted 09:28 07th December 2012