New Zealand 41-33 Australia, Bledisloe Cup
Quade Cooper stands firm
October 20, 2013
Report Reaction Reaction Reaction Reaction Match details Gallery
Australia's Quade Cooper palms off Ma'a Nonu, New Zealand v Australia, Bledisloe Cup, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, October 19, 2013
Quade Cooper attacked the line strongly © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Audio/Video: Wallabies want more

Quade Cooper appears finally to have blocked out the constant booing in New Zealand despite another convincing loss to the All Blacks.

The Wallabies went down 41-33 in the third Bledisloe Cup Test in Dunedin to lose the series 3-0 after another merciless display by the New Zealanders, yet the pivot can still hold his head up high. Cooper was flawless with the boot, kicking three penalties, three conversions and one field goal to finish with a haul of 18 points. He also threw a pinpoint cut-out ball to an unmarked Adam Ashley Cooper on the stroke of half-time to keep the Wallabies in the match, and he never stopped trying to put the All Blacks on the back foot.

"He also made some pretty important tackles at key moments, so I thought he had a strong game," Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said.

Cooper's efforts were in stark contrast to his recent performances in New Zealand, where he has been booed incessantly since his run-in with Richie McCaw in 2011. He said he went into the match expecting more of the same.

"It's not something I enjoy, don't get me wrong, but I've come to expect it," Cooper said. "You can't silence it. All you can do is kick well, do your job well for the team and then that sound starts to dim down in your head. That's something I've just got to put up with and work at."

Cooper could not recall previously kicking at 100% in an international match. "It's something we all work pretty hard at and to see it come out on the field and get 100% under pretty tough circumstances, I'm happy with that."

The All Blacks won another thrill-a-minute Test against Australia (video available only in Australia)
© AAP

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices