Quade Santini Cooper (born 5 April 1988) is an Australian professional rugby union coach, former player, and former boxer. Although born in New Zealand, he has represented Australia in rugby at international level. Finishing his playing career with the Kintetsu Liners in Japan, Cooper established his career with the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby. He went on to play for Toulon in the French Top 14 and also played for the Melbourne Rebels. His team position was fly-half, however Cooper was often deployed in the midfield earlier in his career, as well as fullback.
Early life Quade Santini Cooper was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 5 April 1988. He has five siblings, three sisters, Shavarn, Georgie, and Pania and two brothers, Reuben and Moses. As a one-year-old Cooper moved to Tokoroa and was raised by his mother and step-father, Ruhia and David Jones. He attended Forest View High School before moving to Brisbane, Australia in 2001, at 13-years-old. In Brisbane, Cooper attended Rochedale State High School and Springwood State High School before being awarded a scholarship to Anglican Church Grammar School, where he excelled for their first XV rugby union team from 2005 till 2006. In the first year of his ascendance, his team tied for the Queensland GPS Premiership with Brisbane State High School in 2005.
Cooper played in all the age group rugby union and league sides in Waikato. He toured the United Kingdom as five-eighth or fullback with the Australian Schoolboys in 2005, alongside David Pocock and Lachie Turner. He rejoined the side in 2006, furthering his total caps to nine, which was the then equal schoolboy record. He also forced his way into the Reds' side as a teenager in 2006. Cooper was selected as a replacement against Japan at the National Stadium, Tokyo in November, winning 29–22.
Career 2007–09: Youth level and early international career Cooper joined the ARU-funded high-performance program with the national talent squad, and signed with the Queensland Reds for the 2007 Super 14 season. At 18-years-old, Cooper made his debut appearance for the Reds in Round 2 of the competition, against the Crusaders at Jade Stadium, Christchurch. The Reds went on to lose the game by eleven points. Unfortunately, the franchise finished bottom of the table, having won just two of 13 games. It saw head coach Eddie Jones resign after an 89-point defeat by the Bulls. It was later unveiled Cooper would be the first five-eighth for one of the two Queensland teams, the East Coast Aces in the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship. The side was guided by former Samoa coach John Boe and Australian lock Garrick Morgan.
It was reported by The Sunday Mail early 2008 that the New Zealand Rugby Union showed interest and had held preliminary talks with Cooper's management team after he would be off contract at season's end with Queensland. It was understood the Hurricanes were in line for his signature, and including a possible defection to rugby league. Cooper was involved in a famous upset five-tries-to-one victory over the Bulls. Head coach Phil Mooney made six changes to the side that started against the Stormers the previous week, which earned Cooper's first start of the 2008 season. Cooper performed a try assist after a chip kick to Morgan Turinui in the 72nd minute, securing their first bonus-point victory in four years.
Cooper was amongst seven Super 14 players included in the Australian national under-20 side after coach Brian Melrose confirmed the team naming for the inaugural 2008 IRB Junior World Championships in June. Cooper impressed, coming third in most conversions converted behind Francois Brummer and Trent Renata of New Zealand. Australia had the youngest and heaviest squad in the tournament. After receiving age-grade honors, Cooper was later selected for Australia in their 2008 end-of-year tour campaign. He made his international test debut against Italy, as a substitute back. Cooper scored a late try to help Australia to a victory over Italy in Padova, with eight minutes remaining. He made another further two replacement appearances against France and Wales before playing in the historic match against the Barbarian F.C. at Wembley Stadium. It marked the celebration of Australia winning the rugby gold medal at the 1908 London Olympics. Cooper was involved in a touchline fight between Federico Pucciariello after tussling into the advertising boards and needed to be separated by colleagues and verbally warned by referee Chris White.
National Rugby League (NRL) clubs and NZRU officials came up unsuccessful in attempting to sign Cooper in 2009. The New Zealand Rugby Union showed interest in luring him back to New Zealand as they faced a possible loss of New Zealand international first five-eighth Dan Carter. Cooper instead re-signed with Australia and the Reds. After repeating another near bottom of the table finish, Cooper was one of just four players and the only member of the backline to appear in all thirteen matches during the Reds 2009 Super 14 campaign. He scored four tries, which was second only to Digby Ioane among the team's leading try-scorers. The season also saw the Reds suffer a historic seventh loss from seven matches away to the Highlanders, and was their 22nd loss in 23 visits to New Zealand since 1999.
Cooper gained his first test start, playing at second five-eighth, during the final test against Italy in Melbourne during the 2009 June series. He went on to feature eight times for Australia, starting all four tests on the Grand Slam tour from the second five-eighth position. Cooper stood out on tour and earned praise from former Welsh great Barry John after a victory over Wales at Millennium Stadium.
2010–12: Super Rugby championship and World Cup
Playing at fly-half in the Wallabies' 1st Tri-Nations Series Test against South Africa, Cooper was yellow-carded during the game for a dangerous tackle on Morne Steyn. Later he was suspended from two Tests against New Zealand, the Bledisloe Cup clashes in Melbourne and Christchurch. He returned from suspension to face South Africa in Pretoria and Bloemfontein. He featured in the final Tri-Nations clash against the All Blacks in a 22–23 loss at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. Cooper took part in all of the Wallabies' Spring Tour games, playing at flyhalf.
In 2011 Cooper signed with player agent Khoder Nasser. In 2011, the Queensland Reds won the inaugural Super Rugby title, with Cooper featuring prominently and kicking most of their goals.
Cooper played in all of the Wallabies' Tri-Nations games. When James O'Connor was suspended from the deciding Tri-Nations test at Suncorp Stadium against the All Blacks, Cooper took over the kicking duties in a 25–20 win, securing Australia's only Tri-Nations title since 2001 in the final edition of the competition. During that match, Cooper started a brawl after striking New Zealand captain Richie McCaw in the face with his knee.
Cooper was selected for the Wallabies for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, where he played all but one of Australia's matches, starting all games at flyhalf.
Cooper was selected for the third-place playoff at Eden Park against Wales. Cooper set up the opening try before succumbing to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that later ruled him out of the opening rounds of the Reds' title defence in the 2012 Super Rugby season.
In mid-2012, while recovering from the knee injury, Cooper signed a three-year deal to stay with the Reds through to 2015.Tucker, Jim. (10 June 2012) Quade Cooper finally declares his long-term future is with Queensland Reds. The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 19 September 2012. Cooper's return from the injury came in Round 13 of the 2012 Super Rugby season against the Lions.
In Round 18, Cooper was yellow-carded and placed on report for a high tackle on former Reds and current Wallabies teammate Berrick Barnes. Cooper was later given a one-week suspension, causing him to miss the elimination-final against the Sharks, which the Reds lost 17–30.
In December 2012, Cooper agreed to a two-year contract extension with the ARU.Cooper agrees to new two-year deal - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Retrieved 7 December 2012.
2013–15: International return and going abroad In 2013, Cooper played in all of the Reds' Super Rugby games. After the sacking of Deans as Wallabies coach and his replacement by former Reds coach Ewen McKenzie, Cooper made his first Wallabies appearance after a long absence in the first test of the 2013 Rugby Championship, coming off the bench for the final 20 minutes in a losing effort against the All Blacks. He featured in the starting 15 at flyhalf for the rest of the Rugby Championship.
In the Wallabies clash with the All Blacks at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on 19 October, Cooper six goals from six attempts, an additional drop goal, made three try-saving tackles and two line-breaks, and set up a try for teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper.
At the end of October, Cooper was named as vice-captain for the Cook Cup test against England.Speechless Quade Cooper stunned by vice-captaincy call Under coach Ewen McKenzie he featured in all of the Wallabies' European autumn tour games.
On 7 March 2014, Cooper broke Elton Flatley's record of 629 points, as well as the all-time Queensland Red's point-scoring record in the Reds' 43–33 win over South Africa's Cheetahs at Suncorp Stadium.
On 5 May 2014, Cooper received his 100th Super Rugby cap for the Reds in a match against the Auckland Blues at Eden Park. On 17 May, he was ruled out for the rest of the Super Rugby season following a shoulder injury against the Melbourne Rebels in round 14. He later underwent shoulder and hip surgery. After recovering from his injury, Cooper was named in the Wallabies' 32-man squad for the third Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium.
Cooper was selected to represent Australia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. However, in contrast to the 2011 Rugby World Cup where he featured in all but one of Australia's matches, Cooper's sole appearance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup was in Australia's 65–3 win over Uruguay in the group stages, with Bernard Foley selected as Australia's starting fly-half for the tournament.
On 21 April 2015, it was rumoured that Cooper had committed to a two-year deal with French Top 14 side Toulon. In July 2015 it was revealed that Cooper had turned down the deal and re-committed to the ARU in order to be part of the Rio 2016 sevens team.
On 3 November, Cooper was 'unveiled' to the media as a member of the RC Toulon roster for the 2015–16 season. Cooper apologised to the Toulon fanbase for "extended negotiations" allowing him to be released if called to the Australian Sevens team for the Olympics. Cooper joined former Wallaby teammates Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell, James O'Connor and Sales Ma'afu at the French club. In his debut against Montpellier, Cooper helped set up multiple tries.
2016–18: Sevens stint and dropped from Reds
Cooper joined the Australian 7s squad in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympic Games, commencing with the Sydney leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series. Cooper scored his first try in sevens for Australia on 6 March 2016 in the team's 36–7 win against England. However, Cooper was later dropped from the squad in May 2016. Cooper claimed he was dropped because he did not hold an Australian passport at the time as citizenship of a country is required to represent that country in an Olympics.