Cooper blames ‘paralysis by analysis’ for Aussie fall
By Craig Smith
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Australian playmaker Quade Cooper has finally found peace after a tumultuous World Cup campaign, which he believes suffered for over-analysis.
Almost four months after struggling to perform under a harsh spotlight when he was maligned as New Zealand’s Public Enemy number one, Cooper said the roller-coaster experience had made him stronger.
The 23-year-old was criticised throughout his debut tournament, which ended horribly when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after a bright opening in the bronze final against Wales.
On the comeback trail following a knee reconstruction that will sideline him until April, the enigmatic out half has not dwelt on the World Cup as he has played a key role plotting Queensland’s Super Rugby title defence. Although disappointed not to have won the tournament or performed near his best, Cooper said there was no disgrace in finishing third while also eliminating defending champions South Africa. "It wasn’t as bad as what everyone made it out to be," he said.
"It’s an experience that I’d never change. I got to go over there with a group of my mates and play in front of the most amazing crowds.
"I definitely learned a lot from it and from that experience it made me feel basically at peace with everything that’s going on. You learn how to deal with it."
Cooper went into the World Cup challenging All Blacks superstar Dan Carter as the best 10 in the world on the back of his scintillating attacking play, which helped the Reds to the Super title and the Wallabies to the Tri Nations.
But the New Zealand-born out half appeared rattled on the big stage as the Wallabies controversially adopted a conservative, field-position game plan.
Cooper admitted there were plenty of contributing factors but also suggested the team itself struggled from paralysis by analysis.
"I actually don’t put it down to any one thing," he said.
"I went out there and played the football I was allowed to play inside a game plan. It might not have necessarily been the best game plan. There was half the games that we didn’t play very smart. Whether that was on the back of my shoulders, who knows?"
A shock pool loss to Ireland threw Australia into a quarter-final against the Springboks, won 11-9 on scraps of possession, before then being outmuscled by New Zealand.
Cooper revealed the squad made a conscious decision to release the shackles by returning to a more expansive game in the bronze final against Wales, where Berrick Barnes lined up alongside Cooper instead of the hard-running Pat McCabe.
"I think there was a time where we may have been over thinking," he said. "Because when we came out in that game against Wales we basically said "Let’s just go out there and enjoy it. You can have all the words and all the motivational quotes and moves in the world, but if you’re not going out there and putting your heart and your mind into it with your team-mates you’re not going to play well."
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, February 14, 2012
