19 Jul 2017

Cooper dropped from Wallabies

2:54 pm on 19 July 2017

Quade Cooper is a shock omission from the Wallabies' extended train-on squad ahead of the Rugby Championship, with coach Michael Cheika not satisfied with his form.

Quade Cooper during the Bledisloe Cup  at Eden Park, Auckland, 2012.

Quade Cooper has been dropped from the Wallabies. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Cheika says he's looking at returning centre Kurtley Beale as the back up to established five-eighth Bernard Foley instead.

Cooper, a veteran of 70 Tests, was left out on Wednesday when Cheika named a 38-man squad of players from the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and Western Force after their Super Rugby seasons ended.

Fellow Reds player, No.8 Scott Higginbotham, was also omitted after he started for the Wallabies in two of the three Junes Tests.

Cheika indicated it was not the end of international rugby for 29-year-old Cooper, who was only used sparingly off the bench in the June Tests.

"One of the big things is for him (Cooper) to look he's enjoying his footy and getting out there and really being a competitor for that 10 jersey," Cheika said.

"We have had a talk about the reasons why and obviously a lot of that is around trying to get him back into the space where he can be that player that is going to get us around the park and do the stuff we want him to do.

"I don't feel like that has been happening.

I really want to give him a clear picture of how to get back into he scene and out himself out here for selection."

Cheika included 11 uncapped players in squad: Jermaine Ainsley, Sef Fa'agase, Adam Korczyk, Izack Rodda, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese, Marika Koroibete, Campbell Magnay, Billy Meakes, Izaia Perese and Curtis Rona are the uncapped players.

"We have a lot of work to get done between now and August 19 when we play New Zealand in Sydney," Cheika said.

Australian train-on squad: Forwards: Jermaine Ainsley, Adam Coleman, Pek Cowan, Jack Dempsey, Kane Douglas, Sef Fa'agase, Tetera Faulkner, Ned Hanigan, Richard

Hardwick, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Adam Korczyk, Tolu Latu, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore (capt), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Lopeti Timani, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese. Backs: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Campbell Magnay, Billy Meakes, Eto Nabuli, Sefa Naivalu, Izaia Perese, Nick Phipps, Curtis Rona.