Quade Cooper
Encyclopedia
Quade S. Cooper is a New Zealand born Australian rugby union
player.
He currently plays for the Queensland Reds
in the Super Rugby competition and the Australia national rugby union team
, generally as fly-half.
, New Zealand
, Cooper attended Forest View High School
, before moving to Australia in 2001. Once in Australia, Cooper was selected in the Australian Schoolboys squad in both 2005 and 2006 through playing a star role in the 1st XV squad at the Anglican Church Grammar School
, where in 2005, they won the GPS (Greater Public Schools) championship. Contracted to the Reds after playing for the Australian Schoolboys at five-eighth he has represented Australia at schoolboy and Under-19 level. He has been in the high performance program working with the ARU-funded National Talent Squad, and representing Queensland and Australian Schoolboys.
Cooper became one of three young players to break the record for most Australian schoolboy caps. Cooper's first Super 14 try came 3 March 2007 when he was given the role as starting five-eighth to play the Lions at Suncorp Stadium. Cooper first start of the 2008 season against the Bulls, the Reds won 40–8 in a huge upset. In November 2008 Cooper came off the bench to make his international debut against Italy, scoring the winning try in a 30–20 win. As a mark of Cooper's progress, he was awarded the 2010 Super 14 Player of the Year Award.
in the 2011 NRL season
. This would have meant Cooper sacrificing his Wallabies' position. A figure of $850,000 was speculated, and Parramatta reportedly offered Cooper $1.5 million over three years. The issue was resolved in September when Cooper signed a one year deal with the Australian Rugby Union
. He said, even though he found the Parramatta offer flattering, he still saw his future in rugby union. For 2011 he wanted to continue with the Reds, and hoped to continue with the Wallabies and represent Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup
.
, Tri-Nations: 2011
30-man squad for the 2011 World Cup
. However, once in the tournament, Cooper failed to find the level of form previously showcased for the Reds
and during the Tri-Nations. With the New Zealand
public on his back, Cooper struggled in their semi-final against the All Blacks
nudging the kick-off straight into touch.
However, in the bronze final against Wales, Cooper showed early signs of being back to his mercurial best playing at a quick tempo and showcasing his range of skills. But midway through the first-half, he was struck down by a knee injury which brought an ubrupt end to his game. In the post-match press conference, Robbie Deans confirmed that he believed the injury to have been related to Cooper's anterior cruciate ligament.
completion of a justice mediation process with the complainants.
In August 2011, Cooper was accused of deliberately kneeing Richie McCaw
in the face at the 2011 Tri Nations test, but at the subsequent SANZAR
judicial hearing in Brisbane the charge was dismissed.
after she attended the 2010 John Eales Award Ceremony with him.
Cooper is the cousin of New Zealand Rugby Union player Sean Maitland
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player.
He currently plays for the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in the Super Rugby competition and the Australia national rugby union team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, generally as fly-half.
Career
Born in TokoroaTokoroa
Tokoroa is the third-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato district. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua, close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges, it is mid-way between Taupo and Hamilton on State Highway One...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Cooper attended Forest View High School
Forest View High School, New Zealand
Forest View High School is located on Baird Road in Tokoroa, New Zealand, and is a public secondary school educating students from years 9 to 13...
, before moving to Australia in 2001. Once in Australia, Cooper was selected in the Australian Schoolboys squad in both 2005 and 2006 through playing a star role in the 1st XV squad at the Anglican Church Grammar School
Anglican Church Grammar School
The Anglican Church Grammar School , is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in East Brisbane, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Founded in 1912 by Canon William Perry French Morris, Churchie has a non-selective...
, where in 2005, they won the GPS (Greater Public Schools) championship. Contracted to the Reds after playing for the Australian Schoolboys at five-eighth he has represented Australia at schoolboy and Under-19 level. He has been in the high performance program working with the ARU-funded National Talent Squad, and representing Queensland and Australian Schoolboys.
Cooper became one of three young players to break the record for most Australian schoolboy caps. Cooper's first Super 14 try came 3 March 2007 when he was given the role as starting five-eighth to play the Lions at Suncorp Stadium. Cooper first start of the 2008 season against the Bulls, the Reds won 40–8 in a huge upset. In November 2008 Cooper came off the bench to make his international debut against Italy, scoring the winning try in a 30–20 win. As a mark of Cooper's progress, he was awarded the 2010 Super 14 Player of the Year Award.
Possible change to rugby league
In August 2010 Cooper was rumoured to be considering a switch to rugby league and playing for the Parramatta EelsParramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
in the 2011 NRL season
2011 NRL season
The 2011 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the...
. This would have meant Cooper sacrificing his Wallabies' position. A figure of $850,000 was speculated, and Parramatta reportedly offered Cooper $1.5 million over three years. The issue was resolved in September when Cooper signed a one year deal with the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
. He said, even though he found the Parramatta offer flattering, he still saw his future in rugby union. For 2011 he wanted to continue with the Reds, and hoped to continue with the Wallabies and represent Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
.
Career highlights
- Representative Honours: Australian Schoolboys Squad, (05, 06), Australian Under-19 Squad.
- Queensland Debut: Queensland Reds vs JapanJapan national rugby union teamThe Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
at Tokyo National Stadium Tokyo, November 10, 2006 - International Debut: Australia vs Italy at Padova, Italy, Saturday, 8 November 2008.
- Awards: 2010 Investec Bank Super 14 Australian player of the series.
- Championships: Super Rugby: 2011
, Tri-Nations: 2011
2011 Tri Nations Series
The 2011 Tri Nations Series was the sixteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks. It was also the last series in which only three teams...
World Cup
Cooper's impressive form showed no sign of abating and he was named in the WallabiesWallabies
A wallaby is the informal name for any of about thirty species of Australian animal.Wallaby may also refer to:* Wallaby ammunition carrier, a variant of the Canadian Ram tank* Wallaby , Japanese fantasy manga...
30-man squad for the 2011 World Cup
2011 World Cup
2011 World Cup may refer to:* 2011 Cricket World Cup* 2011 Baseball World Cup* 2011 Rugby World Cup* 2011 IFAF World Cup - American Football* 2011 World Cup * Chess World Cup 2011*In Football :**Women's 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup...
. However, once in the tournament, Cooper failed to find the level of form previously showcased for the Reds
Reds
Reds is a 1981 American epic film that was co-written, produced, directed by and starred Warren Beatty. It centers on the life and career of John Reed, the revolutionary communist, journalist, and writer who chronicled the Russian Revolution in his book Ten Days that Shook the World...
and during the Tri-Nations. With the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
public on his back, Cooper struggled in their semi-final against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
nudging the kick-off straight into touch.
However, in the bronze final against Wales, Cooper showed early signs of being back to his mercurial best playing at a quick tempo and showcasing his range of skills. But midway through the first-half, he was struck down by a knee injury which brought an ubrupt end to his game. In the post-match press conference, Robbie Deans confirmed that he believed the injury to have been related to Cooper's anterior cruciate ligament.
Controversy
In December 2009 Cooper was charged by police with burglary after allegedly taking two laptops from a residence on the Gold Coast. The charges were withdrawn aftercompletion of a justice mediation process with the complainants.
In August 2011, Cooper was accused of deliberately kneeing Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...
in the face at the 2011 Tri Nations test, but at the subsequent SANZAR
SANZAR
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union, formed in 1996.Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two...
judicial hearing in Brisbane the charge was dismissed.
Personal life
Cooper is dating Australian Olympic swimmer Stephanie RiceStephanie Rice
Stephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...
after she attended the 2010 John Eales Award Ceremony with him.
Cooper is the cousin of New Zealand Rugby Union player Sean Maitland
Sean Maitland
Sean Daniel Maitland is a New Zealand Rugby Union player who plays for the Crusaders in the Super 15. He also plays provincial rugby for Canterbury.-Early life:Sean Maitland was born in Tokoroa, New Zealand on 14 September 1988...
.
External links
- Quade Cooper It's Rugby UK Super 14 statistics
- Quade Cooper ESPN scrum profile
- Quade Cooper Queensland Reds profile
- Quade Cooper Wallabies profile