Quade Cooper could start against the All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup.

After a season in which Quade Cooper missed out on featuring at the Olympics and didn’t have his contract renewed by Toulon, the playmaker could yet start at flyhalf against the All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Cup match.

The news comes after Fox News reported that Michael Cheika could be set to radically alter Australia’s strategy ahead of the Rugby Championship, and look to kick in behind New Zealand.

Indeed, in an interview published in the Australian Daily Telegraph, Bernard Foley revealed that the Wallabies were looking to incorporate facets of the Queensland Reds game plan that saw the franchise claim the 2011 Super Rugby title.

You just look at the Reds when they won the competition in 2011, how well they utilised their kicking game; very efficient, very smart with it.

So we’re looking to have a balanced game plan where we can challenge defences through our kicks, through our runs and also when their passing game’s on.

Key to Reds’ Super Rugby startegy was the half back partnership of Will Genia and Quade Cooper, raising the prospect of the mercurial fly half starting against New Zealand. Not only that, but according to Fox News, the Wallabies trained with 9,10,12 combination of Genia, Cooper and Matt Giteau last last Friday.

Coincidentally, the trio started for Australia in their famous win over the All Blacks in Hong Kong back in 2011.

Although Cheika wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not Cooper would start ahead of Foley, Australia will have to adapt their approach after sufferring a series whitewash at the hands of England.

Alan Drumm, Pundit Arena

 

 

 

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