(Recasts with Cooper quotes)
By Nick Mulvenney
SYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper said he would not play for Australia unless changes were made to the “toxic” environment surrounding the team, which he felt was “destroying” him as a “player and as a person”.
The 24-year-old has been sidelined for Australia’s last two Rugby Championship tests in South Africa and Argentina because of a knee problem but sparked huge controversy with tweets and comments made over the weekend.
Offered the chance to clarify his position on Thursday in an interview with Fox Sports, with whom he has a contract, Cooper said he would not play for Australia or sign a new deal with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) unless improvements were made.
“I’m just trying to be the best that I can be and that’s why I don’t want to be involved in that environment,” he said.
“For me to improve as a player and as a person, you want to be in the best possible environment. I feel that environment is destroying me as a person and as a player so I can’t do my best to represent myself, my country and my friends to the best of my ability.”
Cooper attacked the lack of a dedicated training facility for the Wallabies and reiterated his criticism of the defensive gameplans of coach Robbie Deans.
“If you are going to pick an attacking player, especially at 10, you sort of want to work on playing attacking rugby,” he added.
Continued…
