TOCC - you are stating the obvious
Every 10 in the world would "thrive on a up tempo games with a mobile forward pack to cover a lot of ground and backs running varied lines and angles"
Trouble is, finding that forward pack combined with those backs - ain't easy
Additionally Scrubber and moreover people seem to have entirely forgotten that QC (Quade Cooper) in his golden year of 2011 in fact played a wonderfully versatile set of 10 roles when adapting to the varied games plans so masterfully designed by Link and his coaching group that year.
In fact it was the correctness and skill of these varied plans that typically outfoxed the opponent that contributed mightily to the Reds success that year.
Just take the S15 2011 game Reds v Stormers away at Newlands. The Reds won that through a really skilful long kicking and territory game, it was low and slow scoring, QC (Quade Cooper)'s patience in attack and kicking from hand was outstanding and it totally befuddled the opposition. It was not a BBQ rugby runaroundathon at all. Only one try was scored all match.
Contrast that with the dynamic, ball-in-hand and highly mobile style of game the Reds played twice that year vs the Blues.
Our forwards were by no means dominant when the Wallabies played the ABs in Dunedin in late 2013. But QC (Quade Cooper) played a wonderfully controlled role at 10 that night and was widely credited for his complete skills under that relentless type of AB pressure.
QC (Quade Cooper)'s playing history - when viewed with no biases - reveals a very skilled and versatile 10.
What it does not reveal - perhaps tragically as it will be seen in future years - is consistency. And this is principally where Foley has outpointed him, and regularly and rightly so.
QC (Quade Cooper)'s moments of greatness, came, and went, and glimmers came back. But not for long enough periods. And recently in national colours we've had the reckless YCs and other signs of a lost confidence and poise.
But I still smile a happy smile whenever I see his photo. He lit up a wonderful year of my rugby-loving life unlike nothing that had gone before, or has come since.