Jones can fire up Aussies, says Cooper

By GARY FITZGERALD

Quade Cooper is bubbling about Australia‘s World Cup chances, now they have Eddie Jones back holding the reins.

The 35-year-old also believes England could make their growing band of sceptics eat humble pie.

Jones has 96 more days to knock his team into shape before their opening Pool C clash with Georgia on September 9. A miserable run of nine defeats in 13 Tests cost Dave Rennie his job, and Aussie bosses swooped to recruit Jones – only just sacked by England – for a second time.

Australia have slumped to seventh in the world rankings with England one place above them.

But Cooper, who only recently returned from a long injury absence to throw his hat into the ring for a World Cup place, claims: “It’s only natural people look at the top four or five teams in the rankings and see them as the only potential winners. They are the sides who have impressed on the field.

“But sometimes it can benefit a team to head into a World Cup slightly under the radar. There’s not so much expectation or pressure on you. Come the kick off in France, it will be about who fronts up when you need to. It’s about which teams can handle it all and take themselves to another level. You need that big game mentality and massive belief that you can go all the way. I’ve no doubt Australia, whether I’m involved or not, will be capable of doing that.

“England have also had a sticky time and the results not as good as they were for a few years when Eddie was in charge. But I’d be very surprised if they were not one of the sides fighting to win it. I expect them to do well in a Northern Hemisphere World Cup in France.”

Cooper swipes away suggestions both the Wallabies and England have big advantages of being in the ‘weaker’ half of the draw – without France, Ireland, South Africa or New Zealand to worry about until the semi-finals.

Cooper, capped 76 times, says: “I don’t buy into that. Not at all. All the top teams, including Australia, have a chance to win the thing. I would not disrespect any other team. The World Cup is a tournament where you can’t look at the draw and think there’s a tough game there or an easy one here.

“For us, it’s about Australia building to be the best we can.”