Australian fly-half Quade Cooper is keen to add to his 80 Test caps for the Wallabies but is sceptical about his chances of wearing the green and gold jersey again.
The 35-year-old, who has been with the Osaka-based Liners since 2019, was speaking in an Instagram Q&A from the Gold Coast, Queensland, on Sunday after flying home following Saturday’s loss in Shizuoka on the south coast of Japan.
Relegation-threatened Liners, who have lost all six of their games this season, now have a break until 24 February when they host the stuttering reigning champions Kubota Spears.
Division one club’s Spears, Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, Saitama Wild Knights and Yokohama Canon Eagles will be part of the first Cross Border series in Japan over the next two weeks which brings a halt to the League One season. They’ll welcome the Auckland-based Blues and the Waikato-based Chiefs who visit as part of their Super Rugby Pacific preparations.
Cooper has started his side’s last three games after recovering from a facial injury.
“I’d probably say no,” said Cooper when asked whether he thinks he’ll play for Australia again.
“It’s not that I wouldn’t want to it’s more so new coaches and I’m getting older but you never know.”
The Auckland-born stalwart has an 83.3 successful goal-kicking percentage this season.
Cooper was overlooked by Eddie Jones for the World Cup but the former England head coach left in October after a disastrous 10-month return which saw the Wallabies win only two of nine Tests and exit rugby’s showpiece event in the group stage for the first time in their history.
Joe Schmidt was unveiled as the new Wallabies coach earlier this month and officially starts his new role on 1 March with his tenure to set to begin against Wales who go down under for two Tests in July.
Picture courtesy of Kintetsu Liners
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