Wallabies: Quade Cooper offers James O’Connor advice after squad omission
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Injured Wallaby Quade Cooper talks to James O'Connor before the rugby international test match between Australia Wallabies and England at The Sydney Cricket Ground on July 16, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Credit Image: © Steven Markham/Icon SMI via ZUMA Press)
Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper has revealed the advice he gave to James O’Connor after the Reds star was axed from the national squad.
O’Connor’s omission from the group follows the Wallabies’ record 48-17 loss to Los Pumas in San Juan in round two of the Rugby Championship.
Cooper started the first of the two Tests in Argentina but suffered a horrible ruptured Achilles injury during the opening clash, resulting in O’Connor getting the nod for the second.
Worth not only based on Wallabies
The flamboyant star urged his counterpart to not be disheartened by not being selected this time around as his worth is not determined by the Wallabies.
“I said to James your focus can’t be solely that your worth is based in being selected in the Wallabies,” Cooper told AAP.
“You have to find your worth every day in who you are now, what are the habits, the things you do as a man every day, what you pride yourself on.
“If they’re the right things, they will put you in a good place to be selected for the Wallabies along your own journey.
“So physically, as an athlete, mentally as a man, just continue to work at those and work at it, not to get back into the Wallabies, just for yourself to be better every day.
“When and if you are selected to come back in you will just go about it like it’s your every day – that’s what held me in a good place.”
The ‘Iceman’ is back
Veteran Bernard Foley has been called up in O’Connor’s place after a significant period out of the Wallabies squad.
Cooper backs Foley to perform for the national side and claims the pivot’s form has been good in Japan, where he has plied his trade recently.
“You never lose your ability so I don’t know how he is physically, if he has any injuries or anything like that, but from all accounts, he was playing good football in Japan,” said Cooper, who was in Melbourne to promote next month’s Bledisloe Cup.
“I imagine he’s going to slot straight in if he gets an opportunity and it will be great for Noah as well, being around a guy who’s been there and done it at the highest level, and will give him a different perspective.”
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