Quade Cooper
Quade Cooper’s comeback from shoulder and hip surgery will be through the new National Rugby Championship to prove his fitness for a Wallabies recall.
Playing three or four games in the latter stages of the NRC would be the perfect vehicle to rebuild confidence, timing and match hardness.
There is a clear expectation he will feature because the 102-game Queensland stalwart and 20-year-old Sunnybank rookie Jake McIntyre were the only flyhalves named yesterday in the 35-strong Brisbane City squad.
Cooper’s presence for even a handful of games in the latter rounds in late September-October would give instant profile to the NRC.
It is 10 weeks since Cooper’s season was wrecked by a shoulder injury against the Melbourne Rebels and the November tour of Europe may now be his next sighting in a Wallabies jersey.
Reds flanker Curtis Browning, last year’s Australian Under 20’s captain, will skipper Brisbane City starting with the NRC opener at Ballymore on 21 August.
Under Reds forwards coach Nick Stiles, the City squad includes Nick Frisby, James Hanson, Dave McDuling, Jake Schatz, Ben Tapuai and Lachie Turner.
The Queensland Country squad will be lead by Reds centre Anthony Fainga’a.
Twin Saia, Melbourne-bound Mike Harris, Greg Holmes, Ben Lucas, Beau Robinson and Jamie-Jerry Taulagi will be the Reds core to the Country outfit.