Gordon praises Cooper after veteran pivot overlooked for Australia A squad
By Iain Payten and Tom Decent
Wallabies rookie Carter Gordon says overlooked playmaker Quade Cooper has offered to continue mentoring him at the Rugby World Cup, but the advice will likely be from several timezones away after Cooper was also omitted from an Australia “A” shadow squad.
Cooper’s absence from Eddie Jones’ 33-man Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup was one of the major shocks when it was named last week, but it hasn’t ended there. The 35-year-old has also been overlooked for a 26-man Australia “A” squad selected by Jones for a clash with Portugal in Paris on August 26, a day before the Wallabies play France in a warm-up game.
The Australia “A” squad – many of whom will remain on stand-by in the UK during the World Cup and play a series of games for the Barbarians – contains No.10s Bernard Foley and James O’Connor, along with several other notable World Cup omissions in Pete Samu, Tom Wright and Ryan Lonergan, as well as 11 uncapped players.
Michael Hooper was also not named, due to a calf injury.
Informed sources said there were no conversations between Cooper and Rugby Australia about his availability for the Australia “A” game. Familiar with Cooper’s strengths, Jones chose to take Foley and O’Connor instead, and the absence of flanker Jed Holloway fell into the same category.
Australia A squad for clash with Portugal in Paris, August 26
Props (5)
- Matt Gibbon, Melbourne Rebels – 5 caps
- Harry Johnson-Holmes, NSW Waratahs – 1 cap
- Tom Lambert, NSW Waratahs – 0 caps
- Sam Talakai, Melbourne Rebels – 1 cap
- Rhys van Nek, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps
Hookers (2)
- Folau Fainga’a, Western Force – 38 caps
- Lachlan Lonergan, ACT Brumbies – 8 caps
Locks (3)
- Josh Canham, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Melbourne Rebels – 30 caps
- Darcy Swain, ACT Bumbies – 17 caps
Back Row (5)
- Ned Hanigan, NSW Waratahs – 28 caps
- Pete Samu, ACT Brumbies – 33 caps
- Lachlan Swinton, NSW Waratahs – 4 caps
- Seru Uru, QLD Reds – 0 caps
- Brad Wilkin, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
Scrum-halves (2)
- Ryan Lonergan, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps
- James Tuttle, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
Fly-halves (1)
- Bernard Foley, Japan – 76 caps
Centres (4)
- Filipo Daugunu*, QLD Reds – 7 caps
- Josh Flook, QLD Reds – 0 caps
- James O’Connor, QLD Reds – 72 caps
- Hunter Paisami, QLD Reds – 24 caps
Outside Backs (4)
- Lachlan Anderson, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
- Dylan Pietsch, NSW Waratahs – 0 caps
- Corey Toole, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps
- Tom Wright, ACT Brumbies – 23 caps
* pending fitness - Joey Walton (NSW Waratahs) is on standby(Caps refer to Wallabies Tests)
Cooper is set to return to Japan, where he will begin preparing for the new Japanese League One season with Kintetsu.
But in a surprise twist, Cooper could still end up in France during the Rugby World Cup, and on hand for an emergency call-up.
Since being overlooked by Jones, informed sources said Cooper has been approached by champion French club Toulouse – the club of Antoine Dupont and recently injured No.10 Romain Ntamack – about a short-term contract during the tournament. It would require clearance from Kintetsu.
Gordon, who was named as the only No.10 in the World Cup squad, said Cooper had been a huge influence on him.
“Obviously I have learned a lot from Quade and he has been massive for my growth in the last few months,” Gordon said.
Quade Cooper and Carter Gordon in camp on the Gold Coast last month.Credit: Getty
“We are still super close and we still talk a little bit. He sent me a really nice message when the squad came out and said he is here for me, and is going to continue to help me as much as he can. So that just shows the person he is, and how good a bloke he is.”
Speaking to media for the first time since he debuted for the Wallabies against the Springboks, Gordon said he had grown in confidence after following up two bench cameos with a pair of starts against the All Blacks.
“I was obviously a bit nervous for that first start, in Melbourne, it was a massive crowd,” Gordon said.
“I really enjoyed it though and I am glad everything happened the way it did. And then to get that second start in Dunedin was unreal, and I went into that game knowing what to expect, and having that one game under my belt. Those two were obviously the biggest crowds I have played in front of, with the South African crowds as well. To have that was good and I feel like I know what to expect now.”
Carter Gordon looks to pass at the MCG.Credit: Getty
This time last year, after an indifferent Super Rugby season, Gordon was not on anyone’s radar as a possible World Cup bolter. But a breakout year in 2023 caught the eye of new coach Eddie Jones.
“It’s always been a goal, but last year I would have said, ’You’re kidding yourself,” Gordon said.
“I had a goal this year to try and crack one of the Wallabies training squads, and I got to do that in the first April camp. To be able to go along on the whole journey so far, it’s been unreal and a bit mind-blowing to me if I think about 12 months. But I can’t wait to get to France and get going.”
Jones started Cooper against South Africa and Argentina, and held off blooding Gordon. But he decided to throw him into an MCG cauldron of over 84,000 fans, and after a nervy first start, Jones then made a public display of defending Gordon from almost non-existent criticism.
Quade Cooper is not wanted for Australia A’s game with Portugal.Credit: Getty
It had the desired effect. Gordon said he was grateful for all the backing of Jones, on and off the field.
“He has been helping massively on the field and it’s been awesome to see him backing me off the field, too, which I am super grateful for,” Gordon said.
“He is doing everything he can to make me a better player, which is absolutely unreal for my performance and my growth.”
Gordon’s only experience of playing in Europe was on the successful 2018 Australian Schools and under-18s tour of Ireland and Scotland, where he shared the No.10 duties with Reesjan Pasitoa.
He said he isn’t focussing on the fact he’s almost assured the Wallabies No.10 jersey in the Rugby World Cup opener, given two-cap Ben Donaldson is his back-up and is listed as a utility.
“Being the only ten on the sheet doesn’t mean too much to me, it is more about getting better and still earning my spot. If you go out there and play some bad rugby, you’re going to be giving it up,” he said.
“I am just making sure I am growing as a player every day and doing everything I can to keep the jersey.”
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad-free, live and on demand in 4K UHD from September 9.