Quade Cooper recently claimed that he’s “interested” in a Wallabies call-up ahead of the 2027 World Cup, and former teammates of his are all for it.
Despite having not played a professional match since May 2025, the 38-year-old insists he has not given up the game.
“The thing is I never retired, I just had other opportunities that presented themselves, and at the time when I was deciding do I want to keep playing, I was very mentally tired,” Cooper told The Australian newspaper on Saturday.
“So am I interested? I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s a home World Cup, and I still know I can play.
“So, of course, I’m interested, along with every other ex-player and every other up-and-coming young guy. I’m sure that everybody wants a piece of it in some way.”
Cooper is currently coaching at Japanese side Kintetsu, but with Manie Libbok holding down the number 10 shirt, the Wallabies hopeful will likely need to venture elsewhere if he’s to get some game time. However, with no Australian Super Rugby teams reportedly interested in the highly experienced fly-half, his options are starting to look limited.
“If you’re good enough, you’re good enough”
Limited or not, former colleague Drew Mitchell has backed him.
Speaking on the KOKO Show this week, Mitchell said: “Who cares how old he is if he’s capable?
“He’s had a year off now; he’s got to prove himself to be capable, but I don’t care if he’s 18 or 38, if you’re good enough, you’re good enough.
“He’s got to find a gig next year. I think for him to make it, I would imagine it would have to be a Super Rugby gig, improve himself, and, as I said, I don’t care how old he is.”
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Matt Giteau added: “I assumed that he was out of the picture and retired. But then I saw that he actually didn’t say that.
“I’m just trying to read between the lines; maybe he’s got a good relationship with Lessie [Wallabies head coach Les Kiss]. Maybe with Joe [Schmidt] it just was never going to be. Maybe he’s got a better relationship with Les.
“But I agree with Drew, it’s gonna be tough to get a gig this late. I know that he’s with Kintetsu, but they got Manie Libbok at 10 there, so I don’t think they’ll give him a gig where he’ll get enough minutes to prove himself.”
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“Experience has got to come with performance.”
Proving himself is one thing, but it’ll be another thing to justify his selection as the form 10 in a particularly busy position – especially when considering fellow veterans Bernard Foley and James O’Connor are both expected to return to Super Rugby action in Australia.
Foley is set to join the Waratahs in 2027 after seven seasons with the Kubota Spears in Japan, where he will be joined by former half-back partner Nick Phipps, with whom he won the Waratahs’ only title in 2014.
The 36-year-old Foley recently told Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven: “I had seven great seasons over in Kubota, in Japan, and learned a lot, played some pretty good rugby. I didn’t really have this on the list a couple of months ago, but the opportunity’s come about, and just excited to be back in the Waratahs.”
O’Connor is also reportedly set to sign with the Western Force, the club with which he made his Super Rugby debut in 2008. This move would set him up perfectly for the 2027 World Cup, after limited game time at Leicester Tigers, and last playing for the Wallabies in November 2025.
Kurtley Beale, although unlikely to be on Kiss’ radar, is still a valid fly-half option, alongside Ben Donaldson, who made a couple of substitute appearances for the Wallabies in their recent Nations Championship matches.
At the Brumbies, Declan Meredith and Tane Edmed also provide options, although neither have truly secured regular spots in the Wallabies squad, while the Reds have Tom Lynagh and Carter Gordon – but again, neither have made the shirt their own.
So, although there’s plenty of competition for the number 10 shirt, the level of quality is debatable. A good run at club level, and Cooper could well find his way back into the squad.
“The senior members, [need to] just prove yourself,” Mitchell concluded. “Like we’ve all said, the value in having experience, but at the same time experience has also got to come with performance.”