Lesson No.1: Never appear in another team’s jersey until you actually sign a contract with them.
Either Quade Cooper had a massive brainfreeze or he pulled off a negotiating masterstroke.
Irish rugby fans are used to their top players flying out to France whenever their IRFU contract is up for debate.
The Australian out-half pulled off a similar stunt, earlier this year, when he appeared in a Toulon jersey beside their big-spending owner Mourad Boudjellal.
It looked, for all money, that Cooper would be playing his rugby in the Top 14, with Paul O’Connell, next season but Fairfax Media are reporting that he will remain in Australia.
Cooper is now set to focus on Sevens rugby after the World Cup. He will represent the Aussies in Sevens at the Rio Olympics before returning to Super Rugby in 2017.
A turn up for the books.
Wallabies boss Michael Cheika is pleased to have one of his star men in the picture.
‘I’ve said consistently that I was keen for him to stay and be in the picture,’ he said. ‘You can see by him getting the first selection what we think about him as a player.
‘With him, us helping him get to where he wants to go, I think we’re still yet to see the best of Quade Cooper.’
