ARU breaks silence on Cooper controversy

Updated September 27, 2012 17:20:55

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has made a brief response to Quade Cooper's outspoken comments on the Wallabies, claiming they have written to the mercurial five-eighth.

Cooper, who is sidelined with a knee injury, launched a Twitter outburst against coach Robbie Deans last weekend, expressing his frustration at the tactics used by the Wallabies in recent Test matches.

He also spoke to the media about a "toxic environment" within the national team set-up, sparking rumours he might be finishing up with rugby union and possibly contemplating a switch to rugby league.

The ARU issued a brief statement on Thursday saying they had written to Cooper but without elaborating on whether he would be facing any disciplinary action over his comments or not.

The statement also failed to respond to Cooper's claims of problems within the set-up of the game, leaving fans in the dark over whether he has a legitimate gripe or is just venting personal frustration.

"Australian Rugby Union has written to Quade Cooper in relation to social media comments," the statement read.

"However, ARU has no intention of conducting those discussions with Quade in the public arena.

"To that end, we will be making no further comment at this stage."

Meanwhile, Queensland remains confident Cooper will stay with the Reds despite his publicised frustration with the Wallabies and ARU.

Reds chief executive Jim Carmichael issued an open letter on Wednesday night, saying Cooper "has no interest in leaving the Reds".

"He loves playing for Queensland and representing is country and has reaffirmed his commitment to our organisation on several occasions, and again as late as yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon," the letter read.

Carmichael has also rejected suggestions that Cooper's actions are a part of a Reds campaign to "bring about a coaching change at a national level" and have Ewen McKenzie installed as Wallabies coach.

McKenzie is regarded as the frontrunner to take the Wallabies' head coaching role should Deans' contract be terminated.

AAP/ABC

Tags: rugby-union, sport, brisbane-4000

First posted September 27, 2012 16:08:46

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Canes' Smith breaks Blues' hearts

Updated March 23, 2012 21:25:28

A last-minute try to captain Conrad Smith and some ice-cool kicking from five-eighth Beauden Barrett gave the Hurricanes a hard-earned 26-25 Super Rugby win over the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.

It looked like the boot of Blues full-back Lachie Munro and a dominant Auckland scrum would prove too much for the Hurricanes, who conceded far too many second half penalties and appeared to have thrown the game away after an excellent free-running first half.

Munro punished the mistakes, missing just one kick all night in slotting six penalties and a conversion to push the Blues out to a 25-19 lead with less than a minute remaining.

But the Hurricanes kept running, and Barrett sliced through the midfield as the final seconds ticked away, off-loading for skipper Conrad Smith to touch down close to the posts.

Barrett calmly added the extras, and the new-look Hurricanes picked up their third win from five matches.

"They did really well out to shut us out and nine times out of 10 they would have ended it," Smith said in a post-match interview.

"We've got weaknesses, we're the first to admit it (but) we're patient and we wait for opportunities."

They started slowly but finished the first half with a 19-16 lead, jolted into action after conceding a try to ex-Hurricane and All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu after 15 minutes.

Nonu was unstoppable from five metres out after a strong bullocking run from former Hurricanes half-back Piri Weepu, running the Blues backline from five-eighth.

Two minutes later, Hurricanes wing Julian Savea carved up the midfield before slipping a beautifully timed pass for full-back Andre Taylor to cross.

Wing Cory Jane added the Hurricanes' second after Munro bumbled Taylor's searching kick ahead.

The full-back chased hard, forced the turnover then Jane showed good strength to fend off Weepu and score in the corner.

Smith stole the half-time lead for the Hurricanes when he crossed in the dying seconds of the first half after toeing ahead a sly Tim Bateman through-kick.

The Blues maintained their composure in the second stanza, aided by Weepu's shift to scrum half in place of Alby Mathewson and the return of Michael Hobbs to first fly half, but slipped up with a heart-breaking defensive lapse right on the final whistle.

"We're devastated, we're just making a habit of losing," Blues skipper Daniel Braid said.

"A lot of effort's going in from the boys, we're trying hard but we're just lacking composure."

Hurricanes: 26 (C Smith 2, C Jane, A Taylor tries; B Barrett 3/4 conversions)

Blues: 25 (M Nonu try; L Munro 1/1 conversions, 6/7 penalty goals)

AAP/wires

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand

First posted March 23, 2012 19:18:53

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Luckless Slade breaks his leg

Updated March 25, 2012 12:45:30

Colin Slade's horror run with injuries has continued, with the Highlanders fly half likely to be ruled out for the rest of the Super Rugby season with a broken leg.

Slade was stretchered off in the second half of the Highlanders' 33-26 loss to the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night after buckling his left leg awkwardly in a tackle.

Clearly in pain, he was taken to Canberra Hospital where he will undergo surgery for a broken tibia.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, australia

First posted March 25, 2012 12:37:42

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Smiton breaks loose against Rebels

Published:Sunday, May 22, 2011 6:58 AEST

Riaan Smiton goes on the attack in the Cheetahs' clash with Melbourne Rebels at Free State Stadium on May 21, 2011 in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, vic, melbourne-3000, south-africa

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