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QUADE Cooper is on the way to the Melbourne Rebels but he’s taken a first and pointed public swipe at Reds coach Brad Thorn for forcing him out of Queensland.
The 70-Test five-eighth took to social media on Monday with a none-to-subtle dig at the coach, who cut him off from the Reds this season.
The tweet shows Cooper, as a Wallaby, trying to fend off Thorn, who was taking a grab at him while an All Black in a Bledisloe Cup clash.
Cooper has taken a dignified public stance of “no comment” since late last year when Thorn first told Cooper he would not be required at Reds training even though he had two years to run on his contract.
Even when frontline No. 10 Jono Lance was injured, there was no recall for Cooper to even sit on the bench while Thorn went in a fresh direction by grooming Hamish Stewart as Queensland’s next generation No. 10.
Cooper was stung but dived into a full club season with Souths and drove them into the semi-finals.
He called the shots for Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship.
The subtext to the tweet is overwhelming that Cooper’s deal is all but done to return to Super Rugby with the Rebels and long-time halves partner Will Genia.
As ever, there is always a twist to Cooper’s contract paperwork.
Expect a clause that allows him to box on the undercard to the big Jeff Horn-Anthony Mundine fight on November 30 at Suncorp Stadium.
His three pro bouts since 2013 have all been on the undercard to Mundine fights.
Boxing at the venue he called home for more than a decade in rugby is a perfect fit and he may yet have one last appearance in the red corner at Suncorp Stadium.
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