Quade Cooper Calls Wallabies Environment 'Toxic'
Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper has described the environment within the Australian team as "toxic" in the latest of a series of public comments which appear to challenge the authority of coach Robbie Deans and the Australian Rugby Union.
Cooper, who is sidelined for several weeks after knee surgery, began to post a series of Twitter comments from Thursday which appeared to criticize the conservative style the Wallabies have adopted under Deans. Cooper drew a contrast with the more open style he is able to play at the Queensland Reds Super 15 team, under former Wallabies assistant coach Ewen McKenzie.
Cooper enlarged on those comments Sunday, telling the Australian Associated Press that his criticisms were not aimed at Deans but at the whole Wallabies setup: players, coaches, selectors and administration.
"There's a lot of people who are afraid to say what they feel so they just go along with it and nothing is going to change," he said. "That's why I feel so strongly as a player. I don't want to be involved in the toxic environment, and that's how it is at the moment.
"It's an environment where things aren't going according to plan and everyone is looking to point the finger."
On Twitter, Cooper hinted at administrative interference in the Wallabies setup, tweeting that there were events "going on behind and above the players that effect the whole organization!"
He also alluded that he was being constrained by Deans from playing his natural style and that his form was suffering. Deans indicated he considered replacing Cooper during Australia's latest, 23-19 Rugby Championship win over Argentina as the flyhalf produced another sub-par international performance.
Asked by a Twitter follower if he believed he should be allowed to play his natural attacking game for the Wallabies, Cooper replied "I am allowed from February to May sir."
The comment referred to the Super 15 season, during which he plays under McKenzie, who is widely expected to succeed Deans as Wallabies coach next year.
Cooper, who has previously been rumored to be considering a shift to rival code rugby league, said he was eager to stay in rugby union and help fix Australia's current problems.
"All I want to do is fix the problems and get on with it and win rugby games," he said. "But if ... Ewen (McKenzie) is the next coach, of course I would support that.
"That's not say I'm not supporting Robbie. He's done a lot for me as a kid coming through. But for me it's about bettering myself and bettering the country and I'm just sick of losing to the All Blacks. I hate losing."
Cooper recently signed a new three-year contract with the Queensland Reds but has yet to sign with the Australian Rugby Union.
"I don't want to come across as a mercenary, but I feel very strongly about how this (the Australian team) is run because I'm part of it and I want to succeed," he said. "There would have to be big things to take me away from the game but at the same time I don't want to be a pawn in things that aren't moving forward."
Source: Associated Press
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