The Australian rugby skipperNathan Sharpe says his team's focus is on the remaining two games of their European tour and not the latest controversy surrounding Quade Cooper.
Speculation is rife that Cooper will quit the Australian Rugby Union as early as next week with the player set to switch to rugby league or even take up a boxing career.
Sharpe says Cooper's actions didn't impact on the team and they were focused on Tests against Italy on Sunday in Florence and Wales a week later in Cardiff.
Sharpe says it would be great for rugby if Cooper stayed and says he's a footballer who brings a lot of panache to any team he plays for.
Neither the Australian Rugby Union nor Queensland Rugby Union had been informed by Cooper or his agent that he intended walking away from his three-year Super Rugby deal with the Reds which would take him through to the 2015 World Cup.
The latest drama surrounding the five-eighth comes after the ARU offered him a low-grade incentive-based deal for 2013.
