New Wallabies vice-captain Quade Cooper. Source: AFP
NEW Wallabies vice-captain Quade Cooper says his meteoric turnaround from being the most maligned man in Australian rugby to becoming a leader of the team began when he was dropped by previous coach Robbie Deans.
Cooper, who last year described the Wallabies environment as "toxic", now sets the tone for culture within the squad, according to teammates and coach Ewen McKenzie.
Cooper was left out of the Wallabies squad for the historic British and Irish Lions series, which proved to be Deans' last in charge of the team.
Cooper says his time away from the team resulted in strong introspection.
"There have been many critical points, but the most recent was being out of the team for a long period of time," Cooper said.
"You start looking at what's important in life, and where rugby sits.
"It's not just your professional life but your personal life as well, I see all those rolled into one.
"How you act as a family man, as a person, those things flow on to how you play around the team, because the team is like an extended family.
"The more you contribute in the right way, it seems to rub off on your teammates and sends a good perception of you in the wider public."
Cooper will be a crucial cog in Australia's attempts to beat England at Twickenham this weekend (Sunday 1.15am kick-off AEDT), but admits he had fears he would never represent the Wallabies again when he was overlooked by Deans.
"We're all human, you always have those thoughts in the back of your head, those are the challenges in day to day life," Cooper said.
"You look at some other peoples' lives, some have a much harder life than you so you've got to be grateful.
"That's what is different for me to a few years ago, sometimes you think you've been hard done by, but you've got to look forward.
"Being vice-captain is a great honour, in terms of being selected by the coaching staff and the hard work you've put in for your teammates.
"For me it's recognition of the off-field work and sets an example to keep working as hard as possible to be a good team player.
"You have got to be a good teammate on and off the field, I see this really as an important role and something I'm proud to be."
Asked his response when told of taking on the responsibility by McKenzie, Cooper replied: "It's one of those things where you're a bit speechless, you don't know what to say.
"You've just got to get on with it."
01 Nov, 2013
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Source: http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/quade-cooper-cites-axing-from-wallabies-as-turnaround-point-of-his-career/story-fndptke0-1226750949693?from=public_rss
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