Adam Ashley-Cooper

Adam Ashley-Cooper

Full name	Adam Ashley-Cooper
Date of birth	(1984-03-27) 27 March 1984
Place of birth	Sydney, Australia
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Wing / Fullback / Outside Centre
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2014 2015–	NSW Country Eagles Bordeaux	0 0	(0) (0)
correct as of 21 July 2014.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–	Northern Suburbs	?	(?)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005–11 2012–15	Brumbies Waratahs	78 61	(70) (68)
correct as of 28 June 2015.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005–	Australia	114	(185; 37 tries)
correct as of 31 October 2015.

Adam Ashley-Cooper (born 27 March 1984 in Sydney) is an Australian rugby union player. He plays for Australia, and for the Bordeaux in the Top 14 competition. He is known as Mr Versatile.

Early years

Ashley-Cooper took up rugby as a 15-year-old while living on the Central Coast in NSW. He was educated at the Berkeley Vale High School and played junior rugby for Ourimbah on the Central Coast. In his teenage years he played both 10 and 12 (fly-half and inside-centre) and says: "I was pretty much all over the shop [even] in those days."

Super Rugby

Ashley-Cooper joined the Brumbies in 2004 on an ARU development contract. He played all of the Brumbies pre-season trials, and accompanied the team to South Africa. As a 20-year-old Ashley-Cooper spent most of his first year at the Brumbies flying around the globe playing for the Australian sevens. For the 2004 Super Rugby final between the Brumbies and Crusaders, Ashley-Cooper sat on the bench at Canberra Stadium as the Brumbies 23rd man, his boots at hand but never unpacked.

In 2005, he made his Super Rugby debut on the wing for the Brumbies at home against the Crusaders. He subsequently played two more games that season, against the Chiefs and the Queensland Reds. He was selected for the Wallabies in their second Tri Nations match against the Springboks and made his debut in Perth.

In the 2006 Super Rugby season, Ashley-Cooper played 12 matches for the Brumbies, and scored two tries.

Australia

Ashley-Cooper with Australia in 2011

Ashley-Cooper is a member of the Wallabies. "He missed just four of the 56 Tests played by Australia between 2008 and 2011, and just one of 42 through 2009 and 2011." His five tries at the 2011 Rugby World Cup saw him finish in the tournament's top five try-scorers.

In Ewen McKenzie's second year in charge as Wallabies coach, McKenzie named Ashley-Cooper as Wallabies vice-captain with Waratahs team-mate Michael Hooper and hooker Stephen Moore as Wallabies captain for the 2014 three-test June series against France.

Bordeaux

In December 2014, French Top 14 side Bordeaux announced that Ashley-Cooper would join them on a two-year contract after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Versatility

Ashley-Cooper scoring a try for Australia against the United States at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The "Mr Versatile" Ashley-Cooper sometimes labelled Australia's "Mister Fix It" is a utility who can play centre, wing, or fullback. Fairfax journalist Greg Growden suggested that if Ashley-Cooper was asked: "What position do you expect to play this week?" he would answer: "I wouldn't have a clue." According to Growden, Wallabies ex-coach Robbie Deans thinks Ashley-Cooper's versatility is part of what makes him invaluable.

Against Italy, Ireland, USA, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Wales at the 2011 Rugby World Cup Ashley-Cooper played outside centre (13), on the wings (both 11 & 14), and fullback (15). Similarly, at the 2007 Rugby World Cup he covered the centres against Canada (12), Fiji (13), and wing against Japan (14), and England (14).

On occasion he plays for the Waratahs at inside centre (12).

External links

• Wallabies Profile
• Waratahs Profile