IT’S FAIR TO say things aren’t going to plan for Quade Cooper in Toulon.
The Australian did play 80 minutes of Toulon’s 12 – 9 Champions Cup win over Bath yesterday, but overall his performances have been underwhelming for the European Champions. And club president Mourad Boudjellal isn’t shy about saying so.
Cooper was set up for a fall when, on French TV, Boudjellal was asked to compare his current out-half with club legend Jonny Wilkinson. His response was more French than a soupçon of Camembert on a demi-baguette:
“It’s difficult to go from foie gras to pâté,” he joked according to Mensquare.com before adding:
“For now, Quade Cooper is perhaps not as I wish, but we must give him some time too.
“So, when I say today I’m not happy with our stars, it’s because we expect a lot — and then we were so spoiled here by (Tana) Umaga and Wilkinson. They need to be given time maybe.”
We could watch Paddy Jackson’s enormous 53 metre match-winning penalty on a constant loop ’til February
Stander: ‘The coaches give us everything we need, and we don’t give it back to them’
