Reds and Wallabies Quade Cooper to make comeback from injury in National Rugby Championship

QUADE Cooper’s comeback from shoulder and hip surgery will be through the National Rugby Championship to prove his fitness for a Wallabies recall.

Quade Cooper borrows a camera before the Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and the New South Wales Waratahs. Pic Darren England.

QUADE Cooper’s comeback from shoulder and hip surgery will be through the new National Rugby Championship to prove his fitness for a Wallabies recall.

Playing three or four games in the latter stages of the NRC would be the perfect vehicle to rebuild confidence, timing and match hardness.

There is a clear expectation he will feature because the 102-game Queensland stalwart and 20-year-old Sunnybank rookie Jake McIntyre were the only flyhalves named yesterday in the 35-strong Brisbane City squad.

Cooper’s presence for even a handful of games in the latter rounds in late September-October would give instant profile to the NRC.

It is 10 weeks since Cooper’s season was wrecked by a shoulder injury against the Melbourne Rebels and the November tour of Europe may now be his next sighting in a Wallabies jersey.

Reds flanker Curtis Browning, last year’s Australian Under-20s captain, will skipper Brisbane City starting with the NRC opener at Ballymore on August 21.

Under Reds forwards coach Nick Stiles, the City squad includes Nick Frisby, James Hanson, Dave McDuling, Jake Schatz, Ben Tapuai and Lachie Turner.

From club land, bullocking GPS prop Phil Kite, aggressive teenage University lock Adam Korzyk and Uni’s wing flyer Harry Parker are among the selections.

The Queensland Country squad will be lead by Reds centre Anthony Faingaa.

Twin Saia, Melbourne-bound Mike Harris, Greg Holmes, Ben Lucas, Beau Robinson and Jamie-Jerry Taulagi will be the Reds core to the Country outfit.

Veteran Gold Coast lock Rubin Fuimaono, 33, and strapping GPS colts centre Campbell Magnay, 17, are the age extremes to talent spotting for Country.

In the Premier Rugby minor semi-final at Ballymore tomorrow, Brothers will rely on young flyhalf Sam Greene to control the game against dangerous GPS.

In the major semi-final, prop Holmes will call on all his Reds experience for the pack duel against Uni.

Originally published as Reds and Wallabies Quade Cooper to make comeback from injury in National Rugby Championship