Cooper officially omitted from Wallabies squad; Beale in

Quade Cooper2
Quade Cooper

 

Quade Cooper’s efforts in Queensland’s loss to the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night were in vain as the Reds fly half was omitted from the Wallabies’ extended squad.

Instead coach Robbie Deans has named troubled Melbourne Rebels playmaker Kurtley Beale to the side just a week after he made his rugby return for Randwick in Sydney’s Shute Shield competition.

Australian Rugby Union confirmed to ABC Grandstand on Sunday that Cooper had been left out and Beale had been green-lit. The rest of the extended squad will be named on Tuesday as scheduled.

Saturday night’s Reds-Lions clash was widely touted as Cooper’s last chance to impress Deans and win a place in the squad to play three Tests against Warren Gatland’s Lions later this month.

But the flashy fly half, who stood in as Queensland captain in Will Genia and James Horwill’s absence, said he could not focus on anything further ahead than what the Reds were doing.

“To me it’s not about doing enough or doing anything more; I’m just continuing to do what I can do to be the best that I can be for the team that I’m playing for,” he told Grandstand on Saturday night.

“I’ll continue to represent the Reds and anytime that I’m lucky enough to put on their jumper, whatever team it is, I’m going to do the best I can.”

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