World Cup-winning skipper Nick Farr-Jones backs Quade Cooper

[GAFFA]

AUSTRALIA'S 1991 Rugby World Cup-winning skipper Nick Farr-Jones has backed under-pressure five-eighth Quade Cooper.
Farr-Jones said today Cooper “can’t play that badly again’’ in reference to his stuttering, indecisive performance in Australia’s miraculous 11-9 quarter-final win over South Africa in Wellington yesterday.

As the dust settles on Australia’s against-the-odds win, where the Springboks dominated territory, possession and any other statistic you care to measure, the murmurings of discontent over Cooper’s showing have grown to a chorus.

But Farr-Jones believes the mercurial Cooper can turn that form around in seven days to lead Australia into a fourth Rugby World Cup final by overcoming host New Zealand in their semi-final in Auckland.

“He can't play that badly again. That's the scary thing for New Zealand - the enigma that is Quade Cooper, will he turn up next weekend at Eden Park and put them out of this tournament?" Farr-Jones told New Zealand’s Radio Sport.

Farr-Jones said Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will question Cooper’s position but will ultimately back the Queenslander to play his natural role against the All Blacks.

Farr-Jones also warned the All Blacks that Deans' side is poised to get "a hell of a lot better" but admitted to being baffled how the Wallabies beat the Springboks.

“I'm still scratching my head. I don't know (how we won that). I'm sure there are a whole bunch of Springboks supporters thinking 'how did we lose that'? The good thing about this for the Wallabies is that they know they can get so much better - and they will get better.

"If I was Robbie Deans the first thing I'd do waking up this morning is say 'guys, have two days off'. Their bodies must be unbelievably bruised and battered. I think it was one of the most courageous victories. I mean, it wasn't great rugby - in some aspects it was very dumb rugby in the way we played. We couldn't win a lineout to save ourselves, it was just defence, defence, defence."

Farr-Jones also said the weight of expectation on the All Blacks in rugby-loving New Zealand will also be a major factor on Sunday at Eden Park.

“While the All Blacks have dominated Australia in the last couple of years on the scoreboard as far as statistics go, there's no doubt the team will know you've never beaten us in a World Cup, you've lost in two semi-finals to us.

"And we've got a bunch of guys that are very brave and courageous that will defend like Argentina did last night and yet can also have some brilliance that Argentina didn't have."

Last week he was bagging the crap out of QC now he says New Zealand shoudl be weary, Just wanted to get in on the action me thinks.

[jono]

So, quade is a blockhead. But he's going to get us over the Allblacks?

Play him @15 and barnes at 10.
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[James]

I think that would definitely be a good call if Beale is out injured. I doubt Deans would do it though.

[Burgs]

...“He can't play that badly again. ..."

Apparently he can.
Australia cannot afford to start Cooper ever again.
Plenty of other team problems granted, but he isn't a Test starting #10.
When you compare him with all the recent footage of Lynagh and Larkham and how efficient and effective they were, all the tricks in the world do not excuse the basic (Yr 8) Schoolboy errors and pathetic defense he brings.

[Rex Messup]

All the recent footage of Larkham and Lynagh were of players more advanced in their careers

Cooper will come good. The bloke is a class act

If your pack is beaten senselessly and you have 30% possession to play with deep in your own territory for the entire game............no 10 will win you games

Until Australia gets a pack capable of dominating oponents, we won't win silverware

No point blaming the 10 for a scrum that folds like a pack of cards, loses its own lineout throws, gets dominated at the breakdown and misses tackles. Our pack was toilet, even against the minnows

[Happy]

Rex I don't know what's going on here much there hasn't been much controversy in your posts of late!!!

[brokendown gunfighter]

think it may be the calm before the storm with Rex

[robyn <3]

All the recent footage of Larkham and Lynagh were of players more advanced in their careers

Cooper will come good. The bloke is a class act

If your pack is beaten senselessly and you have 30% possession to play with deep in your own territory for the entire game............no 10 will win you games

Until Australia gets a pack capable of dominating oponents, we won't win silverware

No point blaming the 10 for a scrum that folds like a pack of cards, loses its own lineout throws, gets dominated at the breakdown and misses tackles. Our pack was toilet, even against the minnows

No way. A 10 could still catch a ball, not kick straight out on the full and stop being a generally cocky whiny little cow throwing forward, upside down 'Hail Mary' passes to noone and blaming everyone else when he can't pull it off.

Having said that, our forward pack does need some very serious oomph. But Quade was, and has been for the entire world cup, crapalicious, and that's not the forwards fault.