What a cop out. Cheika should have given him a run in a TEST match!
if you're going to count the Barbarian's game, then here's another way of looking at it:-
Games won on the EOYT with Cooper starting at 5/8 - 100% (1/1)
Games won on the EOYT with Foley starting at 5/8 - 25% (1/4)
Also to say "we lost for other reasons" is an even bigger cop out. Foley certainly did not impress.
Why is it a cop out to say that he should have been given a run in a test match after not playing well in a tour match? In almost all situations the onus will be on the player trying to get the starting jersey back to prove themselves before they get the gig.
I agree that Foley wasn't impressive on our EOYT. Cooper was good off the bench.
Personally I think Cooper probably is our best 10 if he's in strong form but I also think the ball is in his court to take that starting jersey back.
My take on this situation is trying to see it from the perspective of the coach and why Cooper wasn't selected and what I think he'll need to do this season to get selected.
Anyone expecting the coach to drop his fly half after losing the game at scrum time is going to be wrong time and time again.