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- Rugby gun hasn’t had a great 2024 when it comes to footy
- Got some more bad news through the mail this week
- Cooper fears his Wallabies career could be over
Rugby union star Quade Cooper has been pictured getting a piece of mail every motorist would dread as he sat in one of Sydney’s trendiest cafes: a notice telling him his licence has been suspended.
The 36-year-old hasn’t had a great 2024, failing to win selection in new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt’s sides to play Tests against Georgia – possibly spelling the end of his stellar career for his country.
And the year just got a little worse for the rugby gun as he sat down for breakfast on Wednesday and read a letter advising him that the Queensland government is going to suspend his driver’s licence unless he pays hundreds of dollars.
Cooper was with a female companion at The Depot cafe in North Bondi when he got the bad news about the hit to his bank balance – and the possibility he could be taken off the road.
He has been playing for the Nanazono Kintetsu Liners in Japan after ex-Wallabies coach Eddie Jones controversially overlooked him for last year’s World Cup in France.
His first game for the Osaka-based team didn’t go according to plan as he was sin-binned in just the 11th minute, with the opposition running the score up to 21-0 before he returned to the field in the 41-14 loss.
With the Japan Rugby League One season over, the Queenslander has returned home and would have been a very interested spectator as the Wallabies beat Wales twice and overcame Georgia this month.
He’ll no doubt also be keeping a close eye on the Aussie rugby sevens team at the Paris Olympics after they got their campaign off to a winning start with two victories early on Thursday.
Quade Cooper was seen reading a letter no motorist would want to receive as he had breakfast in Bondi on Wednesday morning
The former Wallabies star was joined by a female companion when he read the bad news
Cooper was seen reading a letter from the Queensland government telling him his licence could be suspended unless he pays a substantial amount
Cooper appeared to see the writing on the wall for his international career back in May, when he said he expected Schmidt to go with Australian-based players in his Wallabies teams – but said he remains desperate to wear the green and gold again.
‘Of course, if we’re playing the game, we want to play at the highest level,’ he said.
‘But I also understand that there has to be a time at some point where they just put all their energy and their time, everything into these younger guys.
‘I’m sure that’s what Joe Schmidt wants to do, rather than grabbing players from over in Japan or over in Europe, because they desperately want to keep their guys in Australia.
‘I still feel like in the sense of ability and so forth that I can play.
‘It was only what, eight months ago that I played my last game [for Australia]. I don’t feel out of place by any means.’
The fly-half made his Wallabies debut in 2008 and has gone on to play 76 Tests for Australia.
Cooper (pictured playing for the Wallabies in 2023) fears his stellar international career has come to an end now he’s being overlooked by new coach Joe Schmidt
He first rose to prominence as a talented schoolboy when on scholarship at the Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane.
Cooper played in the ‘Churchie’ first XV in 2005 and 2006 and was quickly snapped up by the Queensland Reds after finishing high school.
Along with fellow young guns Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor, Cooper was viewed as an excitement machine at the time as the Wallabies looked to once again become a force in world rugby.
The New Zealand-born playmaker has dabbled in boxing and dated the likes of model Laura Dundovic, champion Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and socialite Nicole Shiraz.
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