Relaxed Cooper in no hurry to decide his future
Greg Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent
August 27, 2010
CAPE TOWN: Quade Cooper has broken his silence to reveal he is a long way off deciding whether to stay with the Wallabies next season or take up a lucrative offer with the Parramatta NRL club.
But the Wallabies pivot is adamant he is ''in the right head-space'' for Saturday night's Test against the Springboks and will not be distracted by the uncertainty and public attention about his future.
The media scrutiny over Cooper's impending decision had Wallabies officials concerned he would lose his way in South Africa and that he would not be properly focused on the Pretoria and Bloemfontein Tests.
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But Cooper appeared relaxed and motivated when explaining his side of the story on Thursday; the first time he has publicly discussed his playing future since Parramatta's lucrative offer became public a fortnight ago. While Wallabies officials believe he will be part of next year's World Cup campaign, Cooper admits he is seriously weighing up his options.
''I am still undecided,'' Cooper said. ''My future is still uncertain, and all I'm trying to do in the meantime is play some footy. I've been out of the team for a few weeks, so all I can do now is go out there on Saturday to play my best for the Wallabies.''
The decision was difficult because of his passion for both codes.
''Both Aussies and Kiwis love rugby and league. I've played both from a young age and always enjoyed both of them. When you play rugby on Saturday and league on Sundays, it is sort of hard to pick one or the other.''
The Wallabies' chief playmaker has talked to several players about his situation, including James O'Connor and David Pocock, whom he describes as his best mates.
''The advice I'm getting from the boys is to do what's best for yourself. In terms of speaking to my best mates, like James and David, I definitely value their opinions. I know it is not just about yourself. Your family and friends are also involved in it. And when I finally come to a decision, I will let everyone know.''
Cooper said that although upset he missed out on the All Blacks Tests in Melbourne and Christchurch because of a two-match suspension for a dangerous tackle, it enabled him to again feel ''physically refreshed.''
''It was in some ways a good thing for the body. Head-space wise, I'm sweet at the moment,'' he said.
Cooper said one of his main strengths was an ability to forget about his external concerns when he was preparing for a big game.
''When you're out on the pitch, it's rugby, and that's what it is all about. You have a job to do. For me, it revolves around the enjoyment factor, and when you get out on the field, nothing else can really bother you or get to you. Some people like to read a book or chill out. I just like to get out there and play footy.''
But that doesn't mean he was ready for the media onslaught when he arrived at the Wallabies training camp in Sydney recently.
''That was quite a shock,'' he said. ''But at the same time I think it's good for the game to see so many people interested in something like that. Still, I didn't expect anything like it. I was told there would be a few media people floating around at Brisbane Airport. James [O'Connor] and I were coming up the elevator, and he was pointing to himself on a billboard saying: 'That's me up there.' Then suddenly there was a microphone in my face. That gave me a shock, and I laughed that off. When I arrived in Sydney it was an experience I hadn't been through before and I think I will be better for it.''
He has also grown used to Wallabies teammates ribbing him about becoming the centre of attention. ''There's always going to be a bit of banter, especially from Drew [Mitchell] and those type of characters. It's all in good fun, and that's what team sport is all about. If there was no banter, it wouldn't be much of a team. So being comfortable enough as a team about those sort of things is something I really enjoy about this Wallaby set-up. Sure, the boys are ripping in, but no more than they do about James O'Connor looking like Justin Bieber. It's all fair in love and war.''
The players have also made certain that every time Cooper scores a try at training, one of them yells out to him to perform the ''Quade Plane''.
