Court to decide future of shining light






WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans yesterday predicted Quade Cooper would be part of the Australian team for some time to come.

But it will be a Gold Coast court that decides whether that is true.
Cooper was a rare shining light for the Wallabies in Saturday's 22-15 defeat of Ireland at Suncorp Stadium, claiming his second man-of-the-match award in the past three Tests after replacing Matt Giteau at the start of the month as Australia's first-choice five-eighth.
It has been a season of triumph for the Queensland playmaker who last month was named the Australian Super 14 Player of the Year after helping to steer the Reds through their most successful campaign since 2001.
But what has made his sublime performances all the more extraordinary is that he has produced them while having burglary charges hanging over his head. Charges he will contest when he faces a scheduled committal hearing at the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.


Indeed, it was by no means certain the Australian Rugby Union would allow him to play this season after he was arrested in early December after a night of partying. But so impressed were ARU officials by Cooper's determination to turn his life around that he was cleared to play just before the start of the Super 14.
Summarising the Wallabies' progress at the end of the June inbounds series in which they won three Tests out of four, Deans identified one of the main positives as the emergence of a number of players who had stood up well under trying circumstances -- seemingly a reference to the new front-row of Ben Daley, Saia Faingaa and Salesi Ma'afu.
"We've also seen a bloke play his first Test match on Australian soil at number 10 and he clearly is going to be part of us for a while," Deans said.
Asked whether he could build a successful team around Cooper at five-eighth, Deans replied: "Yes, you can."
Backline utility Adam Ashley-Cooper agreed, claiming Cooper created so much doubt in the defence when he took front-foot ball to the line that all manner of opportunities were opened up for the players outside him.
"The defence is just waiting for him to play and that's the best thing about attacking outside him because they know he's going to create something and so do we," Ashley-Cooper said.
Granted, there were times, Ashley-Cooper admitted, when he had no more idea what Cooper was up to than did the befuddled defenders opposing him. Still, after watching Cooper score five of Australia's 14 tries in its past four Tests and have a hand in a couple of others, he quickly learned to go with the flow of whatever his young five-eighth was constructing.
Cooper's reality check might be a court appearance but for some of his teammates it will be 10 anxious days wondering whether they will be retained in Australia's 30-man Tri-Nations squad.
The return from injury of loosehead Benn Robinson, hooker Stephen Moore, lock Nathan Sharpe, halfback Will Genia and winger Digby Ioane -- with Tatafu Polota-Nau desperately hoping to prove in club football he doesn't require the foot surgery scheduled for July 22 -- will put the squeeze on a number of players.
Outside centre Rob Horne, who was replaced at half-time against Ireland when he reported his problem hamstring was tightening up, will need to use the mid-season break to get on top of the problem.
"He's just got so much history (with the injury) that it's in the back of his mind," Deans said.
"A big part of the challenge for Rob is mental, and pushing through the barriers."


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