Quade Cooper

Quade Cooper
The perpendicular turtle
Biography
Nickname	Supa Cooper
Birthplace	Tokoroa, Waikato, NZ
Date of Birth	04/05/1988
Age
Height	186cm
Weight	92kg
Position	Flyhalf
School	Anglican Church Grammar School
Province Career
Reds	Feb 2007 - present
International Career
Australia	2008 - present
On Twitter

Schoolboys
Cooper attended the Forest View HS in Tokoroa New Zealand before moving to Brisbane to attend the Anglican Church Grammar School. "Churchie" was also where fellow Wallaby David Pocock went to school with Cooper and Pocock being in the same First XV team.

Provincial
Having left school in 2007, Cooper made his debut for the Queensland Reds in the 2008 season as an 18 year old. His first cap would arise as a replacement in the 2nd game of the season, against the Crusaders in Christchurch. His starting debut would come a few weeks later as the dismal Reds lost to the Lions 20-26 in front of a frustrated home crowd. The low point of the season was against the Chiefs at Suncorp when Cooper had one of his poorest and most embarrassing performances for the Reds making a number of basic mistakes.

Starting the 2008 season off the bench again, Cooper would eventually force his way into the starting side at fly-half pushing 'golden boy' Berrick Barnes one spot out to inside-centre. All in all in was a more composed season for Cooper and he received recognition and higher honours because of it. Come the 2009 season Cooper was now a certain selection in the Red's back-line and played the entire season in the starting team.

After a troubling start to the 2010 season Cooper produced blistering performance after blistering performance as he lead a resurgent Reds under their new coach Ewen McKenzie. One of the season's highlights was his performance against the Sharks (see below video). So fine were his performances that he was named the Australian Super 14 Player of the Year for the 2010 season, as well as winning the Australian Super 14 try of the year award .

Cooper backed up his 2010 form with another brilliant season in 2011 as he guided the Queensland Reds to their first ever Super Rugby title in the professional age. He crowned his achievement by finishing runner up to Will Genia in the Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year Award.

International
Having represented Australia at Schoolboys and Under 20 level, Cooper graduated to a full on Wallaby on the Spring Tour of 2008. His test debut would be off the bench v Italy in Padova and feature a spectacular individual try to secure the win for the Wallabies [6]. His starting debut would be against the same side, however not until the following year, 2009, at a test in Melbourne. It was not until the Spring tour that Cooper would secure a regular starting berth in the team, albeit at inside centre.

Come the 2010 season, Cooper's superb provincial form left Wallaby selectors with little option but to provide him the number 10 Wallaby jersey. His stand out form continued until he was suspended for two weeks for a dangerous tackle in the first Tri-Nations test against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium.