The door is open for a Quade Cooper/Israel Folau show for the Wallabies as the Reds star agrees an $800,000 deal with the ARU. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph
QUADE Cooper has agreed to a modified deal with Australian rugby which will earn him $800,000-plus next season when he hopes to be the Wallaby flyhalf igniting a try-frenzy for Israel Folau.
The prospect of a fully fit and focused Cooper plus the 100kg powderkeg of potential that is Folau are handsome presents under the Christmas tree for Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.
Cooper's signing of a modified two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union will be announced today at a media conference in Brisbane to finalise a drawn out five-month saga.
Intriguingly, it has not just been tweaks to financial elements of the contract but Cooper feeling "more wanted" that got the deal in the bank, after he felt isolated from the Wallaby camp he criticised mid-season.
"It wasn't just the financial piece but getting the emotional piece right," Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael said last night.
"The ARU has shown great support to bring this to a point where we have the right decision for the game, one of rugby's real talents and Quade's future.
"Where there might not have been trust and understanding a few months ago, there has been positive dialogue and everyone working towards the same thing.
"I know Quade is in a really good place with what he wants to achieve for the Wallabies, as well as Queensland."
Cooper has a three-year deal with the Reds but the ARU works on two-year cycles so there will be a fresh negotiation in 2014.
Carmichael has been in daily contact with the ARU in recent weeks. His role and that of QRU chairman Rod McCall, through talks with ARU counterpart Michael Hawker, have been pivotal in ironing out a stand-off.
The Reds will play their opening trial of the year on February 2 in Toowoomba against the Auckland Blues, which means Cooper will be in for a busy week.
He will be groomed to play part of the trial before making his boxing debut six days later at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on February 8.
Carmichael is unperturbed that the fight is sure to rule him out of the Reds' final trial the following day.
"We expect Quade to play in our first game of Super Rugby against the Brumbies on February 16," Carmichael said.
"The fight doesn't bother me. He committed to a mate (Sonny Bill Williams) to fight for a worthwhile charity and the training he'll do will benefit his rugby conditioning."
Nick Cummins (two) and Ioane (two) scored the only tries by wingers during the Wallabies' lean tryscoring year.
Cooper's creativity may just be the key to activating the Folau show on the Test stage.
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