Rather than keep a selection ‘rival’ at arm’s length, a mature Quade Cooper has piled praise on Wallabies roommate Carter Gordon ahead of the Rugby Championship.
Cooper and Gordon have been bunking together on the Gold Coast as part of an informal Wallabies training camp ahead of the clash with South Africa on July 9 (AEST).
The 35-year-old has made an encouraging return from the ruptured Achilles injury he suffered in Mendoza in August last year.
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Cooper said his ”Achilles is great” after making his club comeback in Japan and then starring under Eddie Jones as the Barbarians beat Steve Hansen’s World XV at Twickenham last month.
Jones is expected to name his Wallabies squad on June 25, the day after the Super Rugby Pacific final – and Cooper is a lock.
“It’s been great (working with Jones),” Cooper told Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.
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“Definitely, the group’s been on edge. There’s a few unknowns, but that’s sort of what you want in preparation for such a big occasion like the World Cup and Rugby Championship coming up.”
Cooper said there was “competition everywhere” including at five-eighth where Gordon, Bernard Foley, Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, Ben Donaldson, James O’Connor and Jack Debreczeni provide a wide range of styles and possibilities.
“It is good to have competition and I’ve been rooming with Carter, so he’s a great kid and look forward to working with him,” Cooper told Andrew Swain in the exclusive interview.
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“There’s a lot of special things with him and every other young player in this group. He’s a great ball player. He’s got a great pass on him. He’s just a great young kid.
“As are the rest of the boys here. So it’s a great group and I look forward to being in camp for the rest of the week.”
Former Wallabies back Morgan Turinui believed Jones might opt for another Japan-based veteran at No.10 for the clash with the Springboks on the Highveld.
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“Bernard Foley in there – he might be one to watch for that first Test match in Pretoria,” Turinui said, adding that it was a “good combo” having Cooper and Gordon room together.
“He’s a proper rugby nerd, Quade.”
Harrison welcomed Cooper’s return to Australia but said ”he’s under pressure” to demand a spot in the Test team.
“There’s Debreczeni, Noah Lolesio is doing that at the end of games (for the Brumbies, Carter Gordon’s breathing down his neck, Bernard Foley is there as well,” Harrison said.
“He’s also got to prove that his Achilles is able to play some rugby.
“We need an international 10 to lead us through this.”
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