Rugby World Cup 2023: Carter Gordon praises Quade Cooper as veteran pivot is overlooked for Australia A squad

Wallabies rookie Carter Gordon says overlooked playmaker Quade Cooper has offered to continue mentoring him at the Rugby World Cup, but the advice will likely be from several timezones away after Cooper was also omitted from an Australia “A” shadow squad.

Cooper’s absence from Eddie Jones’ 33-man Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup was one of the major shocks when it was named last week, but it hasn’t ended there. The 35-year-old has also been overlooked for a 26-man Australia “A” squad selected by Jones for a clash with Portugal in Paris on August 26, a day before the Wallabies play France in a warm-up game.

The Australia “A” squad – many of whom will remain on stand-by in the UK during the World Cup and play a series of games for the Barbarians – contains No.10s Bernard Foley and James O’Connor, along with several other notable World Cup omissions in Pete Samu, Tom Wright and Ryan Lonergan, as well as 11 uncapped players.

Michael Hooper was also not named, due to a calf injury.

Informed sources said there were no conversations between Cooper and Rugby Australia about his availability for the Australia “A” game. Familiar with Cooper’s strengths, Jones chose to take Foley and O’Connor instead, and the absence of flanker Jed Holloway fell into the same category.

Props (5)

• Matt Gibbon, Melbourne Rebels – 5 caps
• Harry Johnson-Holmes, NSW Waratahs – 1 cap
• Tom Lambert, NSW Waratahs – 0 caps
• Sam Talakai, Melbourne Rebels – 1 cap
• Rhys van Nek, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps

Hookers (2)

• Folau Fainga’a, Western Force – 38 caps
• Lachlan Lonergan, ACT Brumbies – 8 caps

Locks (3)

• Josh Canham, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
• Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Melbourne Rebels – 30 caps
• Darcy Swain, ACT Bumbies – 17 caps

Back Row (5)

• Ned Hanigan, NSW Waratahs – 28 caps
• Pete Samu, ACT Brumbies – 33 caps
• Lachlan Swinton, NSW Waratahs – 4 caps
• Seru Uru, QLD Reds – 0 caps
• Brad Wilkin, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps

Scrum-halves (2)

• Ryan Lonergan, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps
• James Tuttle, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps

Fly-halves (1)

• Bernard Foley, Japan – 76 caps

Centres (4)

• Filipo Daugunu*, QLD Reds – 7 caps
• Josh Flook, QLD Reds – 0 caps
• James O’Connor, QLD Reds – 72 caps
• Hunter Paisami, QLD Reds – 24 caps

Outside Backs (4)

• Lachlan Anderson, Melbourne Rebels – 0 caps
• Dylan Pietsch, NSW Waratahs – 0 caps
• Corey Toole, ACT Brumbies – 0 caps
• Tom Wright, ACT Brumbies – 23 caps

* pending fitness - Joey Walton (NSW Waratahs) is on standby(Caps refer to Wallabies Tests)

Cooper is set to return to Japan, where he will begin preparing for the new Japanese League One season with Kintetsu.

But in a surprise twist, Cooper could still end up in France during the Rugby World Cup, and on hand for an emergency call-up.

Since being overlooked by Jones, informed sources said Cooper has been approached by champion French club Toulouse – the club of Antoine Dupont and recently injured No.10 Romain Ntamack – about a short-term contract during the tournament. It would require clearance from Kintetsu.