‘Still have that fire’: Quade Cooper’s mission to make Olympic debut at age 40

An former Wallabies star is trying a new sport that has him set to make his Olympic debut at age 40 in American prime time.

Quade Cooper will be 40 years old by the time the 2028 Olympic Games come around, but he is hoping to make history in Los Angeles.

The 75-cap Wallabies playmaker has played for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan for several years, but he’s unsure if he’ll return for another season of rugby union as he shifts his focus to his new passion, flag football.

Cooper, 37, first caught the eye with a one-handed overhead pass during a rugby game in Japan and has gone viral on social media for his impressive trick passes.

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“There was a game in Japan I played in two years ago, I actually threw one in a live game, just it was off the cuff, Cooper told news.com.au, speaking in his capacity as an investor in Aussie electrolyte brand HYRO.

“It definitely wasn’t planned. I wanted to kick it across the field and someone was going to charge me down so I just threw it.”

Cooper said Flag Football Australia got in touch with him after seeing his passing skills and brought up the prospect of playing in the Olympics as quarterback.

“Those conversations just continued to grow and when I decided to finish up with my team in Japan, I was coming back here on holiday.

“I haven’t fully closed the door on Japan yet but I was going back in my off-season break and there was a tournament over in LA.

“So I jumped in on that and went over there, and I had so much fun. So it’s really swaying me to look at doing that full-time.

“This sport is literally just grabbing the most fun parts of playing in the backyard and putting it onto a professional field.”

Quade Cooper after a Wallabies game in 2023. He’s close to calling time on his rugby career. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

He’s just returned from his first games with Australia’s Flag Football program in LA, which he said was “super fun” but he is still getting used to the game.

“One of the hardest aspects of is there’s no contact, it’s just seems like you’re playing backyard footy having a bit of fun,” Cooper said.

“When you’re playing rugby league or union, you never have to try and get yourself up for the contest because it’s a physical, combative collision sport, so if you’re not up for it you’re going to get hurt.

“There’s a rule (in flag football) that the rusher can’t even touch the quarterback. If he hits you and makes contact, it’s a penalty.

“There’s a lot of detail in rugby and rugby league but this to me was just on another level. It was about how many steps you’re taking before you have a cut. The detail is what I love about it.

“One of the biggest drivers of me playing flag was being able to play quarterback, do this thing that was super fun, but also learn something new.”

Quade Cooper is Australia's quarterback in flag football. Photo: Instagram.

The LA 2028 Olympics will see five new sports added to the program — baseball/softball, lacrosse, squad and flag football, which is set to make a prime time debut.

This week the schedule for the 2028 Games was released, with flag football taking centre stage in the first week of competition. Organisers have also parted with tradition and shifted swimming to the second week, moving athletics to the opening week of competition.

Cooper had been set to represent Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rugby Sevens, only to be denied that chance when his citizenship application was knocked back.

He finally became an Australian citizen in 2022 and he is now turning his attention to flag football, hoping the non-contact nature of the sport allows him to play until he’s 40.

“The Olympics is just the pinnacle of sport, so this would be amazing to be able to go there and do and compete for Australia, represent Australia in a new sport,” Cooper said.

“Being a part of the Olympics and the possibility of having a medal is something that I just think will be super special.”

Quade Cooper in action for Flag Football Australia. Photo: Instagram.

He knows how to launch a pass. Photo: Instagram.

Cooper jokes he’s “still a spring chicken, being able to play the game until I’m 37”, but added “not taking hits” was a big motivator for him taking up flag football.

Shirtless photos of Cooper at training for flag football show a man who is still at the top of his game as a professional athlete.

“I’m 37 so I still feel in great shape in the sense of I’m fit, strong and can still play the game, but another three years of getting hit, that’s a tough ask,” he said.

“While you’ve still got the fire, do it as long as you can. I still have that competitive fire, but I’m not too sure I want to continue getting hit until I’m 39.”

What is flag football?

A combination of gridiron and Oztag, flag football is a non-contact sport where the aim is to advance up the field and score a touchdown in the opposition’s end zone.

‘Tackles’ are made by removing one of two vinyl ‘flags’ attached to the ball-carrier’s waist - one on each side.

Each team, comprised of five players, has four attempts, known as downs, to reach the halfway line. If unsuccessful, the ball is turned over to the opposition, who start on their own five-yard line.

Cooper has noticed flag football growing rapidly in popularity in children, particularly with parents increasingly conscious of concussion concerns from contact sport.

“The exciting thing about it is that there’s always people looking for sports that are similar to rugby, similar to league, without the contact,” he said.

“This opens up an avenue for parents to be able to allow their kids, both boys and girls, to do something without the threat of concussions, broken necks, multiple surgeries and whatnot.

“It does open another avenue for everybody here in Australia.”

Cooper and NRL star Daly Cherry-Evans are both investors in electrolyte hydration brand HYRO, and while DCE says he’s taking it one year at a time, it’s no secret the veterans care about what goes into their body.

Cooper said: “Water is great but like it’s just not enough, it’s just the bare minimum. Adding electrolytes, it’s a must.

”You go across all footy teams, all elite sport, everybody’s using electrolytes.

Quade Cooper and Daly Cherry-Evans are investors in HYRO. Photo: Supplied/HYRO.

HYRO founder Steve Chapman, Quade Cooper, Sarah's Day, Daly Cherry-Evans and HYRO founder Taylor Bird. Photo: Instagram.

“Longevity, and being able to stay in the game for a long time, you’ve got to evolve and learn got to learn. Put better things in my body from what I eat, how I lift weights, to having a routine and how I wake up every day.

“All those things add in and hydration is a massive, massive part of that.”

Cherry-Evans is leaving Manly at season’s end but he remains tight lipped on where his future lies in the NRL, with all signs pointing to the veteran half joining Roosters.

“No update there,” Cherry-Evans told news.com.au when asked about his future.

“I’m just going to keep taking my time and make sure I make the right decision for myself and my family.

“But (I’ve) definitely still got a fire burning. That’s always the most important thing, is you’ve got love for the game and a desire to keep competing.

“My focus right now is where it needs to be, and that’s for the Manly side this year.

“We’re sitting around that top eight at the moment, which is great. There’s definitely lots of improvement left in us for the back end of the year.

“So if we can focus in and keep playing consistent footy, which we’ve done the last month, be able to play finals footy again, which is a big driving force for the team and I.”

Originally published as ‘Still have that fire’: Quade Cooper’s mission to make Olympic debut at age 40