Quade Cooper's defence this year

[Sully]

We must operate under different understandings of superb because while his defence has been better it is still not acceptable. He has gone from being a turnstile to a speed bump.

What statistics do you have to back that statement up?

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[Schadenfreude]

I find it interesting that most people are saying we put him back into the gold jersey because his defence has improved. IIRC, most people weren't that critical of his defence in the WC. It was his decision making and execution.

I thought he was mostly criticised for playing against New Zealand.

 

[I like to watch]

Not quite, he invited the whole country to heckle him.
But it didn't work out as he expected.

 

[Joe Blow]

If I was going out with Steph Rice I would be the best tackler on earth, I would be tackling her to the ground and rucking her every time I saw her

She looks pretty tough to bring down head on

 

[Paradox]

A fully firing Quade that can tackle would be awesome. He won the Reds that title last year IMO...he just did things to swing games in their favour when the Reds were starting to crack.

 

[Jiggles]

I've said this before, but I've been watching this guy ever since he got off the plane from NZ with a shithouse undercut haircut playing for Souths. I remember blokes back then nitpicking and finding faults in his game, and judging by these boards nothing's changed. What remains the same is Cooper's ability to go away and improve, and come back better. This blokes the real deal.

 

[I like to watch]

Well Jiggles, there were plenty of faults in his game.....
But I think you are right, he continues to improve.He has come back in great form.

 

[qwerty51]

It's a tough one because how will we ever know if he's improved in test matches? His Super rugby form has always been good. The WC was a disaster by him, I can think of 3 crucial errors in 3 very important games he made that are just unacceptable. The intercept against Ireland, the cross-field kick against SA in our half and the kick off to start the semi going out on the full. The latter one basically cost us the match that day if you think about it.

 

[I like to watch]

There's only one way to find out!
Wouldn't be trying to find out against the AB's though.
Shame he wasn't considered ready for the welsh games.

 

[Athilnaur]

Quade has always been a good tackler when he wanted to be, particularly in the chase, though he still tackles upper body too often for me. It is exciting to see him tackle properly more often tho!

Play wise he seems to be picking his moments more selectively. That will stand him in very good stead for the coming tests in my opinion. If he keeps it up I can see Deans giving Cooper some opportunities in short order, albeit off the bench initially.

A patient Cooper would not make for happy campers across the ditch. That said they will all be saying we'd be mad not to play Barnes.

It is also entirely possible Archies Dad could reach a new level of game the way he went v Wales.

Can't wait.

 

[Baldric]

And I thought this was a discussion on legal matters.

 

[TOCC]

I find it interesting that most people are saying we put him back into the gold jersey because his defence has improved. IIRC, most people weren't that critical of his defence in the WC. It was his decision making and execution.

in the games we lost, everyone in the team was open to equal criticism... kiwi fans criticised him for being quade..

but as a wallaby supporter quade didnt lose the games... it was a collective failure by the group

 

[Schadenfreude]

It's a tough one because how will we ever know if he's improved in test matches? His Super rugby form has always been good. The WC was a disaster by him, I can think of 3 crucial errors in 3 very important games he made that are just unacceptable. The intercept against Ireland, the cross-field kick against SA in our half and the kick off to start the semi going out on the full. The latter one basically cost us the match that day if you think about it.

That's all crap.

 

[Scarfman]

I know how you feel Schadenfreude, sometimes you just have to keep your criticism brief and to the point!

Except this time you're wrong. Coper was paaaaants during the RWC and I would have dropped him for his defence at various points. I'm not interested in getting inside his head, I'd just say to him - your attack is superb but your tackling is fucking up the whole shape of our defence. You're on the bench until it's sorted out.

 

[Scoey]

I agree that his defence has stepped up a notch for sure. I am also very happy for opposition teams to think that he can't tackle.

On the weekend V the Highlanders he also stole the ball on two occasions that I saw in the tackle. He's looking a lot more solid since his return.

 

[Paradox]

Our forwards were sh|te. Against Ireland, we got smacked.

 

[Athilnaur]

Paradox, our forwards were crap alright but Quades brainless play that day drove me to distraction.

Looking a lot more collected now.

 

[Scoey]

Ath, Quade was brainless that day, but I think what Paradox is saying is that he alone didn't cost us the game as has been suggested.

And qwerty, to say the first kick off going out against NZ cost us the match is just crap. If 22 blokes can't come up with a win 80 mins after the first kick off went out on the full, then it doesn't fall on the guy that kicked it out on the full.

 

[Braveheart81]

Quade Cooper clearly had a bad RWC but Genia was also well below his best.

Cooper is a bit of a magnet for the blame because of his actions but Genia was every bit as average at the RWC.

The fact is that when our best players don't play well, we're always going to struggle.

I'd love to see Cooper's defence improve. I think the only way forward for him is to defend at 10 full time if he wants to be the Wallaby 10 again. It's too much of a compromise to shift our backline around to hide a poor defender.

I figure at this stage, Cooper will be part of the Wallabies squad and maybe sneak into the 22, but the only way he will take the 10 jersey at the start of TRC is if he leads the Reds all the way to the final. Barnes played too well against Wales to be ditched without Cooper doing something remarkable.

 

[Scotty]

And Barnes very average play when stepping into first receiver vs the brumbies doesn't give you pause for thought? Terrible kicking and passing several metres above players is not acceptable for the wallaby flyhalf.

In contrast, his running was pretty good. 12 is his spot for the wallabies.