Latest news with #QuadeCooper
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Could a 40-year-old Quade Cooper take on the NFL's biggest stars? He thinks so
Quade Cooper was meant to go to the Olympics as part of the Australian rugby sevens team at Rio in 2016, only to be deemed ineligible because he didn't have an Australian passport – despite having played more than 50 games for the Wallabies. Nearly 10 years on, the New Zealand-born Cooper is eyeing an opportunity to get to the Games at last – this time as the quarterback for the Australian flag football team, where he could line up across from the likes of Justin Jefferson or Brock Purdy after the NFL gave the green light for its players to try out for the US team. Cooper, who is currently playing rugby in Japan – and has since acquired an Australian passport – is the Australian quarterback in flag football, the five-a-side American football variant which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. The two-time World Cup medallist will be 40 by then, but he doesn't see age as a barrier to finally getting that Olympic debut. 'Where I'm at right now, I could play rugby for another two or three years quite easily if I wanted to. That's because I look after myself very well physically. But the sports are so different,' Cooper said. 'Rugby is a physically demanding sport where you're taking hits, and you're taking a lot of collisions and hits not just in a game but daily at training. The sport that we're talking about here is a sport that has zero collisions ... it's a lot different when you're trying to dodge and get out of the way of someone trying to take your head off as opposed to someone trying to come in and rip a tag off.' As an NFL fan, Cooper would relish in the opportunity to face off against some of its biggest stars. 'I'm obviously a fan of NFL, but stepping on the field, you're going out there to compete, and you want to compete against the best guys,' he said.
The Age
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Could a 40-year-old Quade Cooper take on the NFL's biggest stars? He thinks so
Quade Cooper was meant to go to the Olympics as part of the Australian rugby sevens team at Rio in 2016, only to be deemed ineligible because he didn't have an Australian passport – despite having played more than 50 games for the Wallabies. Nearly 10 years on, the New Zealand-born Cooper is eyeing an opportunity to get to the Games at last – this time as the quarterback for the Australian flag football team, where he could line up across from the likes of Justin Jefferson or Brock Purdy after the NFL gave the green light for its players to try out for the US team. Cooper, who is currently playing rugby in Japan – and has since acquired an Australian passport – is the Australian quarterback in flag football, the five-a-side American football variant which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. The two-time World Cup medallist will be 40 by then, but he doesn't see age as a barrier to finally getting that Olympic debut. 'Where I'm at right now, I could play rugby for another two or three years quite easily if I wanted to. That's because I look after myself very well physically. But the sports are so different,' Cooper said. 'Rugby is a physically demanding sport where you're taking hits, and you're taking a lot of collisions and hits not just in a game but daily at training. The sport that we're talking about here is a sport that has zero collisions ... it's a lot different when you're trying to dodge and get out of the way of someone trying to take your head off as opposed to someone trying to come in and rip a tag off.' As an NFL fan, Cooper would relish in the opportunity to face off against some of its biggest stars. 'I'm obviously a fan of NFL, but stepping on the field, you're going out there to compete, and you want to compete against the best guys,' he said.
The Advertiser
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Cooper's side earn shot at Japan rugby promotion series
Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series. Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars. The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns. The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday. Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21. Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs. Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day. Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two. The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17. They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath. Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz. Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series. Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars. The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns. The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday. Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21. Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs. Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day. Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two. The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17. They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath. Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz. Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series. Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars. The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns. The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday. Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21. Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs. Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day. Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two. The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17. They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath. Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz.
West Australian
11-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Cooper's side earn shot at Japan rugby promotion series
Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series. Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars. The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns. The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday. Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21. Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs. Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day. Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two. The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17. They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath. Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz.
Perth Now
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Cooper's side earn shot at Japan rugby promotion series
Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series. Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars. The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns. The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday. Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21. Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs. Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day. Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two. The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17. They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath. Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz.
