This idea that Foley even with a broken leg/out of form is clearly ahead of Cooper is laughable.
We've seen what Cooper can do off the bench this year and he's looked far more creative in those snippets than any other option we have, including Foley. It's madness he's out the outer, but that's up to Cheika, and having seen the improvement in the Wallabies this year I can't really argue with him too much.
I still think Cooper has plenty to offer and with the right coach, he'd be fantastic, but that's the rub. If Cooper has only ever looked like the CONSISTENT player we're hoping will one day appear while he's being coached by Link, then it aint good enough.
It's a desperate shame, as he's hands down the most freakish playmaker i've seen in my lifetime and were I in charge he'd be the 2nd name on the sheet after Coleman, but unless you're willing to build a backline around him/make him one of your first picked and ride the waves of his form, he's shit outta luck and it makes me so sad. I WOULD take Link's approach if I were the coach, but c'est la vie.
It's like watching O'Connor squander his career all over again, but to a much nicer bloke.