Cooper calls for Wallaby attitude fix

 

Cooper was recalled to the squad to take his spot on the bench in the Final Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks on Saturday after recovering from a shoulder injury.

 

The mercurial flyhalf has said that the key to beating the No.1 team in the world is all to do with attitude – which is more true now than ever.

 

"It's an attitude thing; you've got to understand that they [New Zealand] are beatable," Cooper told the Sydney Morning Herald.. 

 

"They were beaten by a quality South African team last week, so they're going to come out guns blazing, but at the same time, we know that if we can pull ourselves together, have the right attitude, turn up and play the game we know we can play, then everything goes back to square one."

 

Should the Wallabies beat New Zealand in Brisbane on the weekend it will be a first for McKenzie, it will also level the Bledisloe series after a draw and an All Black victory.

 

"They will have lost two games in a row, it ends up being a squared series. 

 

"It all comes back to the attitude.

 

"Every player's got the skill set, you don't lose that in one week, two weeks, in six months, but the attitude is something we can really pick up.

 

"And on the back of a tough loss, I know all the boys will bounce back and be ready for a big outing."

 

Meanwhile, McKenzie has called for his players to approach him and voice their concerns directly ahead of the match.

 

The fallout from the Kurtley Beale text scandal has shifted focus away from the Wallabies final Test and McKenzie is looking to move forward with the players respect.

 

McKenzie said he wasn't interested in any desire to be loved by his players, but he wanted their respect.

 

"It hasn't been easy, but that's life," McKenzie told reporters after naming his team.

 

"My job is to get a group of people to play with purpose and get an outcome on the weekend.

 

"Is it about a popularity contest? It can't be. Because the only people who will like you will be 15 in the starting team.

 

"I don't care. I actually want them to respect me. They will respect me for being consistent and honest and actually dealing with them face to face."

 

McKenzie has been subjected to rumblings since installing former Queensland Reds business manager Di Patston within the national team structure.

 

However, the coach has said that if players had an issue with the appointment they should have spoken up.

 

"People don't need to ask questions through the media – they can ask me questions," he said.

 

"I don't think I'm that intimidating that [there's] not an opportunity for players [to speak up]."