Quade Cooper and ‘Lost Generation’ Wallabies bid hometown farewells as Super Rugby play-offs loom
Queensland Reds supporters will be crying buckets this weekend for what many believe is Quade Cooper’s last game at Suncorp Stadium before he takes up an outrageous contract with Toulon.
But Australian Rugby Union bosses should also be crying, in shame that is for their part in seeing one of Australia’s great unfulfilled rugby talents quit Australia for the playing fields of Europe. Just like Matt Giteau, we probably won’t truly appreciate Cooper until he’s gone. Of course that’s not to say what we did see of Cooper in Australia to date hasn’t been simply divine at times. Cue his entire 2011 Reds season as proof. It’s just that we didn’t see the best of him consistently. Some of that has been his doing and injury, but a fair share of blame is on the Australian Rugby Union and its coaches.
In fact, as we head into this week’s penultimate round of Super Rugby action and say goodbye to not only Cooper, but also Will Genia, James Horwill, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Sekope Kepu, Scott Higginbotham, Wycliff Palu and Nic White to name but a few who we know for sure are leaving, one wonders whether rugby historians will look back at the last five or so years Australian rugby and dub that chapter ‘The Lost Generation’. It certainly feels that way.
That lost generation of talent - so poorly managed under a succession of coaches (most notably Robbie Deans and Ewen McKenzie) and out-of-touch Australian Rugby Union regimes - would have as its beginning the 2010 Bledisloe Cup fixture in Hong Kong, won 26-24 by the Wallabies at the death, courtesy of a James O’Connor try and sideline conversion.
The Wallabies team that day included Kurtley Beale, O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Giteau, Cooper, Genia, Stephen Moore, and David Pocock in the starting XV, with the likes of James Slipper, Luke Burgess and Berrick Barnes on the bench. The All Blacks starting XV included Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, and Kieran Read.
The widely-published picture of the Wallabies onfield celebrations in Hong Kong was iconic in that it was a touchstone for new hope of a glorious future with a group of genuinely talented young players. But we all know the divergent paths these teams took - one to World Cup glory and umpteenth Bledisloe Cup wins, the other towards mediocrity, scandal, bitterness and ultimately implosion at the height of the Beale/McKenzie/Di Patston texting debacle. The celebration image is still iconic though, but for different reasons. Now, it’s a jarring symbol of lost opportunity for a group who should have gone on to better things. It’s very depressing to now find ourselves in the final rounds of Super Rugby competition and it’s all about saying goodbye to players who should have been so much more in national colours.
Although there could be more compelling goodbyes this weekend, of the fatal kind that is for the Crusaders, Bulls and Lions. Nine teams into six play-off spots is the equation. It’s down-to-the-wire stuff and we still don’t know who’s going and coming for sure. Incredibly, not even the Hurricanes are safe as overall ladder leaders. It’s scarcely believable the humble Highlanders could actually still finish on top. Such is the strength of the Kiwi conference.
In the Australian conference, meanwhile, it’s a two-horse race for a home semi-final between the Brumbies and defending champs the Waratahs, who are top of the table courtesy of more wins. The Brumbies and Waratahs are both on 42 points, with tricky final round encounters against the Crusaders and Reds respectively. Yes, that’s right - the Reds will be tricky. And that’s because Cooper is back running the cutter at 10. They are a completely different side with him at the helm. In fact, an upset win against the Chiefs is very much on the cards. Emotions will be running high at Suncorp for what is essentially a farewell event for loyal servants Cooper, Genia and Horwill.
We can also expect plenty of tries from play-off contenders with final placings at the end of the round robin sure to come down to bonus points. The Waratahs, so disappointing against the Lions last week, and desperate to keep the Brumbies at bay, could put on a cricket score against the Cheetahs.
Round 17 Fixtures
Friday AEST
Hurricanes v Highlanders – 5.35pm
Force v Brumbies – 9pm
Saturday
Rebels v Bulls – 3.30pm
Blues v Crusaders – 5.35pm
Reds v Chiefs – 7.40pm
Cheetahs v Waratahs – 11pm
Sunday
Stormers v Lions – 1.05am
