Quade Cooper has reflected after pulling off one of the finest returns in Australian sporting history, taking the chance to praise good mate Sonny Bill Willams as all the plaudits flood his way.
Cooper was a perfect 8/8 from the boot as he led the Wallabies to an unlikely 28-26 victory over world champions Springboks on the Gold Coast.
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His last kick was the most impressive, set up with seconds remaining after Nic White trapped Kwagga Smith with the ball at the ruck long enough for referee Luke Pearce to call the penalty.
The script and moment were set up, the only question was who was going to take it?
Regular long-range kicker Reece Hodge has been tasked with a number of game-winning opportunities in the past and it would've been the perfect moment to celebrate his 50th Test in gold.
However, the moment was ultimately designed for Cooper after an internal 'ego' check, buoyed on by the support of his teammates.
"I looked at it and had a little chat to myself and I only just had the legs to get it over and this was the 80th minute so had to ask 'is this your ego saying you want to take the kick or is it what's in the benefit of the team'," Cooper told Stan Sport.
"I had a little chat to Hodgey (Reece Hodge) as well and he backed me, so you know your peers are backing you, you got to back yourself as well.
“We put a lot of effort and work into this. It’s not necessarily about the kick itself but staying on the grind every day.
“The challenge now is when you are on a high, being able to maintain and not get ahead of yourself. Go back to your every day, appreciated it because it’s special and a great team win, one of the all-time Test matches that I’ve been in, and just moved on to the next.”
Cooper has returned to Australian Rugby a more balanced person, admitting throughout the week he's expanded his life from simply being Wallaby 830 as he trekked his way through Rugby wilderness.
With praise flooding in, the 34-year-old remained grounded and 'at peace' with his performance and the result.
"This is a game of rugby. When we put that in perspective and understand that we're going to walk off this field win, lose or draw, we might be a bit sore but it's not going to be the end of the world," he said.
"There's so much more to life than just the result of a football game and when you can understand that, that's when you when you feel at peace with the game, and with everything else around us."
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As the wider sporting community sought to praise his efforts at one of his highest moments, Cooper took the chance to praise commentator and good mate Sonny Bill Williams, one of the men he credits for his revival when he was at his lowest.
“I’m so grateful for him," he added as Williams looked on. "When things went a bit pear shape a few years ago, he was the first guy to reach out to me. I spent about 2-3 months with him, just living with him every day and seeing what it takes to be a good strong man.
“You see him with his family his teammates. The dedication and hard work that he puts into his day-to-day life, not just when he turns up to footy about being a better man for himself, his family and everything else.”
