All Blacks great Jeff Wilson has doubled down on his disbelief that Quade Cooper is the right man to be piloting the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby World Cup.
Cooper, 35, has held off the challenge of young tyro Carter Gordon to wear Australia’s No.10 jersey in the opening two Tests of the Rugby Championship.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has preached patience with both Cooper, only just returned from a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Gordon, in the midst of a breakout season.
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That didn’t wash with Wilson, who again went hard at the Cooper selection on The Breakdown, available to stream now on Stan Sport.
“I still can’t understand, why is Quade Cooper running this team because he’s not delivering and we know he doesn’t deliver against the All Blacks,” Wilson said.
“How can he be wearing the 10 jersey in two weeks’ time, seriously?”
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The All Blacks, 2-0 in the Rugby Championship, will start red hot favourites against the winless Wallabies in the Bledisloe opener at the MCG on July 29.
New Zealand legend Sonny Bill Williams was among the pundits excited by the pace and power of Ian Foster’s side in blowing away world champions South Africa at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.
“I had a quick chat with Sonny on the sideline and he was like, ‘that’s as good as I’ve seen them start a game’,” Stephen Hoiles said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
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”I was like, ‘really?’. He goes ‘no, that was the best I’ve seen them start’.”
The All Blacks were challenged by the Springboks bench ‘bomb squad’ in the second half before kicking again late in the 35-20 win.
“You look at the play, the speed they put into the game in the first five minutes. It just shocked South Africa,” Morgan Turinui said on Between Two Posts.
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“Like they were caught offside, retreating so many times. (Aaron) Smith’s service and speed to ball. The (Will) Jordan set up for Aaron Smith’s try.
“That’s how you want to start a game of footy. They’ve got their attacking forward shape right. They’ve got the short passing game.
“Will Jordan on the right wing was just unbelievable… strong through contact and doesn’t lose pace changing direction.
“Frightening footballer. He’s got the (Christian) Cullen, (Ben) Smith, all that through him…
“The ABs were great but I don’t think the Boks would be too worried.
“They’ll be disappointed. That’s a good looking team they put on the park, but I don’t think they’ll think ‘oh, well, we can’t beat them’.”
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