Cooper to face the music
Oct 27,2012
Outspoken Australian fly-half Quade Cooper has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his critical comments of the Wallabies and coach Robbie Deans.
The disgruntled star made headlines last month when he lashed out at the Wallabies set-up, saying the environment within the Australian team was "destroying" him.
The Reds playmaker, currently sidelined with a knee injury, reiterated his grievances on a television rugby programme less than a week after first making his feelings known via social media.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said Cooper was due to appear at a code-of-conduct hearing on Wednesday in Sydney.
An Australian Rugby Union (ARU) spokesman said Saturday the ARU would not be making any official comment at this stage.
In interviews Cooper, 24, had expressed frustration about the defensive style of play favoured by Deans and said that he didn't want to be involved with the Wallabies under the current regime.
"I'm just trying here to be the best that I can be and that's why I said I didn't want to be involved in that kind of environment," Cooper said in a televised interview last month.
"For me to continue to improve as a player and as a person you want to be involved in the best possible environment and I feel that environment is sort of destroying me as a person and as a player."
ARU chief John O'Neill said at the time that the ARU was "utterly confused" by Cooper's outburst.
Comments (5)
Oct 27, 2012 at 14:36:14
This guy has great rugby skills as well as a big mouth.
He sounds just like an american...loud and shooting from the hip.
Oct 28, 2012 at 02:09:35
lack of insight is also something the Americans have in abundance! :-))
Oct 28, 2012 at 12:13:28
Yeah it's funny how you don't hear about his nana chipping in trying to defend him and telling everybody what a nice boy he is anymore. Kiwis dont him, aussie dont want him, he's too soft for league and cant tackle so they dont want him.... Guess he better F^%k off and NEVER come back!
Oct 27, 2012 at 13:29:11
put everyone out of their misery and charge him already!
The ARU were like, "Let's wait for the result of the ABs vs Wallabies game before making any drastic decision incase we might need him in the near future - phew - now that the Test Match resulted in a draw (which has been hailed as a victory), and the other boys are playing well and we don't need him at all, we can safetly send him to Rugby League" LOLS!