MELBOURNE: Australia coach Robbie Deans confirmed mercurial flyhalf Quade Cooper will not have a place in his final squad for the Test series against the British and Irish Lions, while welcoming troubled back Kurtley Beale into the Wallabies fold.
Deans controversially overlooked Cooper for his initial 25-man squad named last month and yesterday said the 24-year-old playmaker would not be among the final six players to be added to the group and named early this week.
“We’ve obviously not included him (Cooper) in the additional six at this stage, but as you’ve seen (with injuries), things happen quickly,” New Zealander Deans told reporters in Caloundra on Queensland state’s Sunshine Coast, where the Wallabies squad has assembled for a training camp.
“This is a three-Test campaign and nothing surprises you in this industry.
“Quade is a huge talent, we understand what he is capable of ... We’ve now settled on the squad and we’ll get on with our opportunity.”
The Wallabies confirmed that Beale, who checked himself into a private health clinic last month to deal with “personal issues”, would be among the final six names added to the squad. Beale had “presented himself in the right physical and mental shape,” Deans said of the 24-year-old playmaker, who was stood down by his Super Rugby side Melbourne Rebels for over a month earlier this year after.Reuters
