After a long hiatus away from the Wallabies, Quade Cooper is set to return to the fold against the Springboks at CBUS Super Stadium in Queensland.
It will be Cooper’s first appearance in Australia in 1541 days. The 33-year-old five-eight debuted for his country in 2008 against Italy and went on to make 70 appearances before the break.
It was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald in July that Cooper was called into the Wallabies squad after a meeting with head coach Dave Rennie. While being selected in the 30-man squad, it was uncertain whether Cooper would get a run, but with the side struggling against the All-Blacks it appears as though Rennie is looking to reshape his starting unit.
Prior to his selection, Cooper has been playing for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan where he is still under contract.
The news will undoubtedly send shockwaves across the world of rugby, however, the inclusion of Cooper in the starting team is a great gamble for Rennie.
Despite not having played since 2017, Cooper is one of the best five-eights Australia has seen and with the state of Rugby in Australia it can only help to have a big-name on the field to attract viewers.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how Cooper fares on the field against the defending World Cup champions in South Africa.
