Friday’s rugby news has Adam Ashley-Cooper returning to France, Quade Cooper officially signs with the Reds, Rod Kafer criticises referees treatment of Wallabies and Wallabies line up in the NRC this weekend.
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AAC Returns to France
Wallabies winger Adam Ashley-Cooper will not play again this year’s Rugby Championship after deciding to return to France.
Ashely-Cooper will return to his French club Bordeaux to prepare for the Top 14 season which will start in the coming weeks.
Bordeaux president Laurent Marti has previously expressed his frustration after signing Ashley-Cooper under the assumption he would not be available to play for the Wallabies.
Ashley-Cooper tweeted: “Disappointed to be leaving without a win but very grateful for the opportunity to play for my country again. Remaining always proud!!”
It is now unclear whether Ashley-Cooper will add to his tally of 116 tests.
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Cooper Signs
Quade Cooper has officially signed with the Queensland Reds on a three year deal.
Cooper also revealed he had turned down an offer from the Melbourne Rebels to remain in Queensland.
“It was a tough decision as I believe the Rebels have a great Rugby program with some well respected coaches and a talented list but I feel that coming home to the Reds is the right move for me at this point,” Cooper said.
“At the time when I decided to leave I felt that I needed a change and to experience something else.
“What made rugby enjoyable to me was I got to do it in front of the people I love the most, which is my family and friends and that I got to play for the club that became such a huge part of my life.
“For me, when I think of rugby and my life, I think of the Reds.
“I’ve been through the low times and the good times at the Reds and I want to be part of putting them back on top.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with Stilesy (coach Nick Stiles)”.
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Kafer Criticises Refs
Former Wallaby Rod Kafer has criticised the referees treatment of the Wallabies.
“I believe that the referees have a bias [against] the Wallaby team. There’s a preconceived idea around what the Wallabies are like,” he said.
Kafer highlighted the fact that Romaine Poite was willing to speak with All Blacks captain Kieran Read but not to Wallabies captain Stephen Moore.
“That annoys me because it’s not a level playing field. That’s the first one.
“The second thing is where Stephen Moore as a captain who is encouraged by the referee to be the only one who talks and the Wallabies were squeaky clean. No one else talked to him. Then Kieran Read comes over and goes ‘you don’t have to take that’
“That is unbelievable to me.”
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Wallabies to NRC
A number of Wallabies will play in the National Rugby Championship this week as the Rugby Championship has a one week break.
Will Skelton will line up for the Western Sydney Rams as they take on Brisbane City in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, Allan Alaalatoa will line up for the UC Vikings who play the NSW Country Eagles which features Tom Robertson in the front row.
Rob Simmons and James Slipper will start for Queensland Country who will play the Melbourne Rising which features Toby Smith and James Hansen.
Full team for this weekend’s NRC can be found here.
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