Wallabies No.10 Quade Cooper hopes he will be able to play in Australia’s Rugby Championship campaign, although he stopped short of giving a firm timeline for his return from injury.
Cooper, who didn’t play a Test for more than four years between 2017 and 2021, is now back in the hot seat as the Wallabies’ chief playmaker.
However, 2022 didn’t go to plan. After complaining of calf soreness during the England series in July, Cooper suffered an Achilles injury in August that ruled him out for the remainder of the year.
The comeback trail has been slow, arduous and frustrating as September’s Rugby World Cup in France approaches, with coach Dave Rennie expected to pick the mercurial pivot in the all-important No.10 jersey.
There is certainly an element of the unknown about the injury for Cooper, who insists he isn’t being evasive when quizzed on a timeline.
“I honestly can’t say … and that’s not me trying to play hide-and-go-seek,” Cooper told reporters from the Gold Coast.
Quade Cooper during a Wallabies camp on the Gold Coast this week.Credit:Getty
“It’s just that I genuinely don’t know. This type of injury has been one of the easiest I’ve had throughout my career. It’s just a time thing. The first three months is the most difficult part where you have to sit relatively still.”
Cooper plays in Japan for the Kintetsu Liners but is completing his rehabilitation in Queensland for the time being.
“Ideally, I’ll be playing some football in Japan for my club Kintetsu Liners and that will be the best possible outcome,” Cooper said.
“If I’m able to do that, I’ll be in a place to be able to be selected for the TRC based on my performances there. I have no doubts of a comeback.”
Following the Super Rugby Pacific final on June 24, the Wallabies have their first Rugby Championship match of the year against South Africa in Pretoria on July 8.
From there, Australia take on Argentina in Sydney (July 15) followed by two Bledisloe Cup fixtures in Melbourne (July 29) and Dunedin (August 5).
The Wallabies play France in a World Cup warm-up match in Paris on August 26 before a tournament opener against Georgia two weeks later. Australia have Georgia, Fiji, Wales and Portugal in their pool.
Cooper has described the exit of attack coach Scott Wisemantel as a “huge loss” eight months out from the World Cup.
As an assistant coach, Wisemantel helped England dump the Wallabies out of the 2019 World Cup in the quarter-finals.
Wisemantel quit last week, citing family reasons.
“As a player, I’m not too sure what’s happening around that and that’s not a decision for me to make,” Cooper said. “He was a guy that I got along with very well.
“I loved his philosophy around the game. I always enjoyed having a yarn with him and I’ll continue to keep in touch with him throughout the year. I’m sure that we’ll touch base and catch up in and around these camps.”
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