Australia
Hansen backs Cooper to make World Cup mark
ESPN Staff
August 16, 2015
New Zealand 41-13 Australia (Australia only)

Steve Hansen has backed Quade Cooper to make a mark at the Rugby World Cup, the New Zealand coach saying the fly-half "played pretty well … apart from a couple of wee mistakes" as the All Blacks humbled the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup-deciding Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Cooper has always struggled with the Wallabies at Eden Park, and his latest night ended early after a yellow card for a high tackle on halfback Aaron Smith in the 48th minute. The All Blacks scored two further tries while the Wallabies were down to 14 men on the way to the 41-13 victory that retained the Bledisloe Cup. Cooper didn't return to the field, instead replaced by Kurtley Beale was his sin-binning was completed.

Hansen said that Cooper trying to save a try and just went a little high when he tried to stop Smith.

Australia's Quade Cooper cops the boos as he is sent to the sin-bin, New Zealand v Australia, Bledisloe Cup, Eden Park, Auckland, August 15, 2015
All Blacks fans didn't miss Quade Cooper at Eden Park © Getty Images
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"It doesn't make him a bad player," Hansen said. "I think he's actually a very good player. It just doesn't seem to work for him here at Eden Park, that's all.

"I don't think he will be a liability [at the World Cup]. I think he will be handy."

Hansen denied the All Blacks had specifically targeted Cooper, saying he was just another player.

"If you had been with us all week, I don't think you would have heard us talking about getting into Quade Cooper," the coach said.

"I just think that, when he comes here, he's under a lot of pressure … I thought he played pretty well last night apart from a couple of wee mistakes."

© AAP

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