Australia
Reds dispute Toulon's Cooper rugby signing
ESPN Staff
April 24, 2015
Quade Cooper shakes hands with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal © RCT
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The Queensland Reds have accused French rugby club Toulon of jumping the gun, claiming they have not yet completed a deal for Quade Cooper. The French Top 14 glamour side announced via their Facebook page on Friday night they had secured Cooper's services on a two-year deal, posting a photo of the five-eighth wearing a Toulon jersey.

But Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael, who met Cooper over lunch in Brisbane earlier on Friday, is adamant the 27-year-old had not yet decided on his future.

"A great lunch - very happy that the time has allowed Quade and I to get close to a position that satisfies us both," Carmichael said. "There is more conversation to be had and this is the last time I'm commenting on this until our discussions are concluded."

Australia will miss Toulon-bound Quade Cooper

Cooper visited the French club earlier this week and was understood to have been leaning towards taking up the offer, which would link him up with former Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau. But Cooper's manager Khoder Nasser told AAP on Thursday his client would take "one week or two weeks" before making his decision.

Nasser also said Cooper was "deciphering" the new rules about overseas players being eligible for the Wallabies, which may allow him to continue representing Australia while abroad.

"Quade's deciphering everything," Nasser said. "To be honest, he was deciphering everything before the ARU's rules came out, regardless. He'll make his call over the next week or two weeks."

© AAP

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