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Talented Reds five-eighth Quade Cooper, preparing for a much-anticipated tussle with boyhood hero Daniel Carter, has indicated he wants to stay with Queensland.
Cooper said he was keen to re-sign with the Reds in a major boost for the Super 14 side who must endure an exodus of senior players to continue their upward curve next year.
Crusaders coach Robbie Deans applauded the improvement the 2007 wooden-spooners have made under Phil Mooney but have another battle next season in overcoming the loss of Chris Latham, Sam Cordingley, Stephen Moore, David Croft and Rodney Blake.
Cooper, 20, is set to knock back interest from NRL clubs as well as the New Zealand Rugby Union who were interested in luring the Kiwi-born playmaker back home as they face the possible loss of All Blacks flyhalf Carter.
Carter will make his return from a serious ankle injury off the bench for the table-topping Crusaders against Queensland at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Impressive youngster Stephen Brett will continue to wear the No.10 jersey with Deans admitting Carter needs to regain match fitness before winning a starting berth for the play-offs.
While Carter's return just makes the Reds' assignment even tougher, Cooper was rapt to hear the 44-Test All Black was flying to Brisbane.
"Stephen Brett is a wicked player in himself but when Carter comes on it's just another notch up," said the Waikato-raised flyhalf.
"Daniel Carter is the best flyhalf in the world by a long shot.
"Growing up I used to watch him and Carlos Spencer.
"I've been looking forward to playing against him and seeing him in real life.
"He's something special, and watching him play it looks like he has all the time in the world."
Cooper said the youthful Reds improvement and more attacking style under Mooney had put him on the edge of taking up a multiple-year offer.
"I'm very excited about the future here," he said.
"We're starting to get used to everyone's play and starting to add a bit of excitement into our rugby.
"I haven't exactly signed on anything yet but I'm very happy where things are going.
"We've improved 100 per cent from last year and it can only get better so hopefully we can get everything sorted and knocked over by the end of this week."
Deans rotated half his forward pack and named All Blacks Corey Flynn, Ali Williams and Andrew Ellis on the bench but strongly denied his side was complacent a fortnight before the semi-finals.
"We are not for a second underestimating the Reds," he said.
"The current side has been playing well too, without a lot of luck over recent weeks.
"The changes are about keeping everyone fresh, but they are also about rewarding some players who have been making a big contribution towards the team's welfare and performance."
Quade Cooper keen to re-sign with Reds - Rugby Heaven - Breaking News
This is the one player the Reds need to keep, Shifcofske is a winger and can be replaced, Turinui has a brilliant rugby mind and good leadership, though Barnes and Cooper are progressing and will be able to control it themselves soon enough.
I would be happier to see Quade stay and Turinui and Shif go rather then the other way around.
Who knows, it might be enough to convince his old churchie school mate pocock to come back to QLD![]()
What colour did Churchie wear again????
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Quade Cooper to stay a Red with Robbie Deans as coach
FLYHALF prospect Quade Cooper is to re-sign with the Queensland Reds and the imminent arrival of Kiwi Robbie Deans as Wallaby coach has proved crucial in the deal.
Cooper, 20, said yesterday Deans's track record in developing Dan Carter, Stephen Brett and Aaron Mauger as top playmakers would make Australian rugby the best learning environment possible for No. 10s.
The Kiwi-born Cooper is not presuming to be in Wallaby reckoning, merely identifying that a backline innovator at the top would filter positives throughout the code.
"He's an amazing coach when you look at the players and style he has developed so it's exciting to think he's going to work some of that magic in Australia," Cooper said.
But Cooper is likely to be on the receiving end of Deans's tactics tomorrow night.
His suspect defence is likely to be one target channel for the rampaging runs of No. 8 Mose Tuiali'i and co when the hot Canterbury Crusaders steam on to Suncorp Stadium.
Cooper has yet to commit his signature to paper, but his positive sentiments about the Reds are proof enough that only the fine details need sorting before it is confirmed.
"I've not really achieved or done much yet in rugby so I don't want to be shifting around when I'm concentrating on the goals I've set for myself," Cooper said.
"A big one of those is keeping the improvements going at the Reds, who I'm grateful to for giving me my first opportunities."
Joining an NRL club or Kiwi rugby are wildly speculative options in comparison to staying with the Reds.
However, Reds hooker Stephen Moore has confirmed he will play next season with ACT Brumbies.
"The culture down there, the way they play, what I can bring to the table at set-piece time . . . it all weighed up as the best decision," Moore said of choosing the Brumbies
Quade Cooper to stay a Red with Robbie Deans as coach | The Courier-Mail
Hope he stays with the Reds..he's been a little erratic but I rate him as a fly (especially after watching him in the ARC) and would be interested to see how he develops..there is a fair bit of flair in him and hopefully he will be able to get some sort of consistency.
yeah undoubtedly he lacks the maturity and ability to control the match which all good 5/8's have, but he does definetly have the natural skills to be a great player, it just depends whether he can polish them over the next couple of years.
I for one hope the Lucas-Cooper-Barnes combination can deliver on there potential, they show glimpses every now and then, just not consistently.
Good signing. KwooWade Kwooper is the best rugby player on earth after Gavin Henson.
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Laura Force Addict v Chook scrabble-off on Facebook: laura & Force Addict 0 | chook 9
Gigsa made me do it
"He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." – Lao Tzu