Quade Cooper might want one last shot at playing in a World Cup, but he’ll quickly need to convince some figures in Australia that he’s worth signing on a short-term deal for his dream to become a reality.
Planet Rugby understands there currently isn’t an appetite from an Australian Super Rugby club to sign the 38-year-old.
That, of course, wouldn’t stop Les Kiss from picking Cooper, given Rugby Australia’s eligibility policy would allow the new Wallabies three picks from overseas, but it might make it harder to convince him that he’s the best person to lead them to a World Cup final.
Cooper might respond by saying if it’s good enough for Rassie Erasmus to pick Manie Libbok from Japan’s second division, it should be good enough for Kiss to pick the Wallabies veteran.
But the difference is Libbok is wearing the No.10 jersey at Kintetsu, whereas Cooper has a whistle around his neck and is one of the club’s coaches. His last match, in fact, was May 2025.
As such, the first step for Cooper to be considered would be to sign with a club or get back on the field for Kintetsu. Perhaps Will Harrison’s departure to Munster might allow that to happen.
It’s unclear what Cooper’s motivation is for announcing that he “never retired” and wanted another crack at playing in a World Cup, but the homecomings of Bernard Foley and James O’Connor might well have flicked a switch inside. He might even be the best of the trio.
Quade Cooper backed by SA Rugby boss after stunning Wallabies hint ahead of Rugby World Cup
Either way, with Foley to be unveiled at the Waratahs this week and O’Connor moving closer to penning a deal at the Western Force, positions and money are running dry in Australian rugby. That’s what happens when there’s just four Super Rugby franchises to pick from.
The Brumbies are happy with Declan Meredith and Tane Edmed running the cutter and have a couple of players rising through the ranks in Oscar Shaw and Chase Oates. While the Reds only have a Wider Training Squad spot available, with Wallabies Carter Gordon and Tom Lynagh on their books as well as the impressive Finn McKay.
The other Wallaby Australia’s Super franchises should look at
There might be few spots available across most Super Rugby franchises, but the coach-less Waratahs have plenty of positions to fill and they should be mining for gold in club competitions, including the Shute Shield.
That includes at Randwick, where long-time Wallaby Andrew Kellaway is currently carving up but isn’t contracted to a Super Rugby franchise next year.
While the 30-year-old was considering retiring, he showed against Manly last weekend that he’s no spent force despite missing out on Joe Schmidt’s Test squad in July.
He scored twice and set up another try with a stunning out-the-back flick pass.
He’s not the only World Cup Wallaby in Randwick’s squad either, with Isi Naisarani building some consistency for the Galloping Greens in 2026.
The back-rower was one of Randwick’s best, and while strength and conditioning coaches have questioned his durability, the 2019 World Cup member remains capable and someone worth re-examining, especially for a Waratahs side that needs some more ball-carries.
Could Michael Cheika, who is in the mix to become Dan McKellar’s replacement, be the coach to lure them back to the professional ranks?
Wallaby Kiss must invest in
He sat in the stands throughout July, but new Wallabies coach Kiss must speed up the development of Charlie Cale and put the loose-forward on his bench against Japan.
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The 25-year-old is one of the most exciting talents in Australian rugby. A genuine game-changer, who is a point-of-difference player. He’s Australia’s version of Henry Pollock.
Although he might not be as physical as Pollock, Cale’s taller and hugely effective at the lineout. He’s as quick, if not sharper than the England loose-forward too.
He’s also the perfect person to bring off a bench in Japan in August, where conditions are hot and humid and someone like Cale could burst the game open if given an inch.
With Nick Champion de Crespigny left out, Kiss shouldn’t look past Cale’s versatility and game-changing ability off the bench against Eddie Jones’s Japanese. A Cale and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto combination would give the Wallabies a better balance and some serious potency off the bench – aspects Schmidt’s benches often lacked.
Forgotten Wallaby Kiss should bring back
With Len Ikitau sidelined, Kiss is likely to return to Hunter Paisami in the No.12 jersey to take on Japan in Osaka on Saturday.
Paisami’s expected return comes despite the midfielder playing through the pain of a knee issue he picked up during Super Rugby against the Drua. The only other option is Isaac Henry, who has impressed many recently but is uncapped.
But the time has come for Kiss – and Rugby Australia for that matter – to dial up Samu Kerevi and plot out a path of reintroducing the centre to the Wallabies environment.
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Kerevi, 33, still has plenty to give and is back to his best after a slower than hoped couple of years following his devastating ACL injury suffered for Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
While Kerevi was rushed back to feature at the 2023 World Cup, he really didn’t get back to his best until over the past 12 months.
Kerevi offers something most international sides have and the Wallabies don’t: size, power, experience and poise.
One year out from the World Cup, the Wallabies need to find another option or two in the midfield, especially in case anything happens to Ikitau ahead of next year’s tournament on home soil.