Quade Cooper has a great record against the Springboks. Source: Marty Melville / Getty Images
QUADE Cooper's hot strike rate against South Africa and the positive energy of his Suncorp Stadium home ground are certain to win him a recall to the Wallabies starting line-up for Saturday night's must-win Test.
It is no black mark on Matt Toomua's tough two-Test initiation against the All Blacks, but part of the horses-for-courses selection ideas that coach Ewen McKenzie flagged from the outset of his ascent to the Wallabies coaching job.
While Cooper's play and results against the All Blacks are patchy, at best, he has a superb track record against the Springboks and South African Super Rugby sides.
His unpredictable style and ability to unlock attacking chances for teammates has always proved a thorn for South African sides who are often anchored in the conventional.
Of the seven Tests that Cooper has started at No.10 against the Boks, the Wallabies have won six during the most significant streak of success against the two-time World Cup-winners since Tests were first played against South Africa in 1933.
McKenzie on Sunday side-stepped five questions on whether the decision to swap Cooper for Toomua at flyhalf had already been made.
The crumbs prised from him were still illuminating when pressed on why Cooper had such a high winning rate against South African opposition.
"He's able to keep them guessing," McKenzie said as the Wallabies arrived in camp in Brisbane.
"He's not always successful but Australia have a good strike rate against South Africa of late.
"You shouldn't be fixated on one person. No.10 is no different to any other position in that we are considering what we need to play a different team (to the All Blacks) a different way.
"We are not going to slash and burn with selections each game. We are trying to build confidence and consistency and have the players see the logic of the calls."
Cooper's two recent cameos off the bench against the All Blacks have been unremarkable. Like his teammates, he has been playing under the continual stress of catch-up rugby.
Remarkably, the Wallabies have lead for just 42 minutes in total across five Tests and nearly seven hours of rugby this season.
It magnifies the cost of Wallaby errors while too rarely have we seen the British and Irish Lions or All Blacks feel the heat of one mistake costing them dearly.
Beefing up the Wallabies' lineout clout on the bench against a strong set-piece team like the Springboks may create a bench spot for Queensland's Pilecki Medal-winner Jake Schatz, a No.8 who can also play blindside flanker.
The widespread call to employ recent re-signing Israel Folau at fullback is really just a plea to get the Wallabies' biggest attacking weapon more involved.
If Cooper started, he would revert to his Reds' role roving at fullback for counter-attacking chances when the team is on defence.
That change would instantly bring Folau, the winger, more into play because Cooper is expert at linking with his wingers in the back field.
"A lot of people are making suggestions but believe me, we as coaches, have spent more time analysing than anyone to make considered choices," McKenzie said.
"Running out the same Wallabies team every week is not how we think we are going to get the best out of the team in terms building competition for places and depth to get better."
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