Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper believes his assured performance against Italy at the weekend was his best game in the No.10 jersey since returning to the Test fold.
Cooper's creative control of the Wallabies' second spring tour Test match was a key ingredient in the 50-20 victory.
The five-eighth set up three of the five tries Australia scored while he was on the field and admitted to feeling his most comfortable yet during the match in Turin.
"In recent times, that was probably one of my best games," Cooper said.(you tell us Quade )
"Contributing to the whole team environment was pleasing and I felt [since] the All Blacks game (don't see the relevance of the AB game but carry on) we're slowly trying to build.
"We had a bit of an off game last week but the way we stuck together and tried to build that culture off the field (Quade's reason for loss against English was their lack of culture off the field) is what, for me, is the biggest aspect that we're improving.
"Out on the field I felt good but the team felt good (how does the team feel good as a whole???) as a whole and that's the most important thing."
One of the standouts was his short, flat, surprisingly obvious (writer running out of words to describe the pass) pass to man of the match Nick Cummins in the 50th minute.
Referee Glen Jackson pondered its legality but awarded the try to put the Wallabies up 24-10.
"I switched back to the short side and saw a bit of an opportunity," Cooper recalled.
"When [Michael Hooper] switched under me, (lots of switching) I looked to pass to him and they closed that off.
"Then I was going to flick pass it back to him and they closed that off to him as well.(lots and lots of closing off) Cummins was just waiting there, so I popped him the (surprisingly obvious) ball and he did the rest."
Cooper has been under fire in the past for having been thoroughly worked out and contained by opposition teams.
If it has been true of New Zealand and South Africa, it was not true of Italy.
Cooper spotted hole after hole and his superb timing in attack kept Italy's defence guessing.
"I think from a five-eighth's point of view, that's always good," he said.
"When the defence is right up in your face and they try to put you under pressure, but they're not completely sure what you're going to do.
"And from an attack point of view, it really helps, having full confidence in the players around you and them having full faith in you that you will conduct [the plays] and get the job done, that's great for us."
Cooper was reluctant to talk up his own game,(really???? hahahahahahahaha - look at the previous paragraph) instead crediting the team's growing close bond with things jelling in attack on the field.
"It's belief and mutual respect," he said. "Once you get that as a team it's something that's very hard to stop. (especially if you're playing a rubbish Italian Team LOL )
"It's something we've had at the [Queensland] Reds for a few
years now.(Quade put that out there just incase Ewen McKenzie needs more massaging) Everybody is building together and having the confidence in
each other that they'll own their own role." (anyone want to vomit yet?)
