Various Rugby brains have said that Cooper has shown as much potential as Beale at Schoolboys level, just with half the hype.
Hopefully he will make the most of the opportunity.

Rookie Cooper to open at flyhalf for QR Qld Reds

QRU Media
Thursday, 1 March 2007

QR Queensland Reds rookie Quade Cooper will make his run-on debut at flyhalf in Saturday's Investec Super 14 match against the Lions at Suncorp Stadium.

Fellow youngster Berrick Barnes will move to inside centre to make way for 18-year old Cooper, in the absence of the three players who have held that position so far this season.

Winger-turned-centre Peter Hynes was ruled out of the match with an ankle sprain, centre Andrew Brown is still to return following a rib injury and fellow inside centre Lloyd Johansson is in the second week of a two match suspension.

Brando Va'alu takes Hynes' place in the starting lineup while the seventh reserve has yet to be decided.

The QR Queensland Reds team is:

1. Ben Coutts
2. Sean Hardman
3. Rodney Blake
4. Ed O’Donoghue
5. James Horwill
6. Mitch Chapman
7. David Croft
8. John Roe (c)
9. Nic Berry
10. Quade Cooper
11. Brando Va’alu
12. Berrick Barnes
13. Ben Tune
14. Henari Veratau
15. Clinton Schifcofske

16. Ole Avei
17. Herman Hunt
18. Cam Treloar
19. Tom McVerry
20. Will Genia
21. Charlie Fetoai
22. TBA

The Lions team is:

1 Heinke van der Merwe
2 Willie Wepener
3 Bertus Smit
4 Cobus Grobler
5 Anton van Zyl
6 Cobus Grobbelaar
7 Ernst Joubert (c)
8 Jacques Cronje
9 Enrico Januarie
10 Jaco van Schalkwyk
11 Jaco Pretorius
12 Doppies La Grange
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Wylie Human
15 Earl Rose

16 Ethienne Reynecke
17 Brian Mujati
18 Franco van der Merwe
19 Willem Alberts
20 Jano Vermaak
21 Andre Pretorius
22 Jannie Boshoff


Wounded Reds gamble on teen

c/o Fox Sports

TEEN schoolboy recruit Quade Cooper is the shock Quuensland choice at five-eighth for Saturday night's Super 14 game with the Lions at Suncorp Stadium.

Cooper, 18, will make his starting debut at No.10 after regular playmaker Berrick Barnes was moved to inside centre in the Reds' injury-hit backline.

Utility back Peter Hynes is the latest to be sidelined after he failed to get a clearance from his ankle injury at training this morning.

Hynes had been earmarked to play on the wing but his absence has seen Brando Va'alu, originally assigned to a bench role, promoted to start on the left wing.

The move has left a space on the bench which has been listed as "TBA", but may allow former Wallabies winger Andrew Walker to make his Queensland debut.

Walker, 33, is scheduled to fly into Brisbane from France tonight, but must first complete the paperwork on a Reds contract.

Loose-head prop Ben Coutts has been selected despite carrying a shoulder injury which troubled him in last weekend's 38-13 loss to the Blues.

AAP