The booing of Quade Cooper

The Crusaders are finishing a demolition of the Reds (they currently lead 38-9 with three minutes to go)

One feature of the game has been the constant booing of Quade Cooper by the home crowd.

Even if it's intended to paint him as a pantomime villain, this is now just boorish behaviour. It sounded like the New Zealand commentary team began to feel a little bit embarrassed by the reception. The ungraciousness was compounded by the fact the Crusaders were playing so well, which is the perfect situation to show some grace as winners.

I have no particular love for Cooper, and I went into the game wanting the Crusaders to win. The booing soured the game for me, particularly in the closing stages.

Agree, it does seem a bit OTT now, at some point they are going to have to get over themselves.

It's just a bit of fun, come on guys, lighten up.

Of course it is fun for the crowd, but like I read on another site, everything has a shelflife, and the excessive booing has reached the expiry date now.

Not that I am. Cooper fan, but how long do you think this can last?

Yeah, it is fun for the crowd.  I had fun booing him in the semi in 2011 after a few beers, sad I know, but it felt right at the time.  That's all it is, nothing malicious, we're not chanting racist slants at him, Quade you fricken Kiwi, pi$$ off home!!

Just seems a little sad to me, what ever happened to respect for the opposition? Or is that something every one else should have but not Kiwi's?

yea it was a bit annoying.

Ok for the first few but right through the entire match was a bit boorish.

Speaking of a few these blmn earhquakes are getting to be a pain, a 5.7 and 6.5 odd in Wellington area today with many smaller ones going on. No fatilities that I know of but a fair bit of shaking and frankly after two days of it Im over it. Dont know how the Cantab folk hold their nerves these past few years.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8945358/Big-quake-shakes-central-New-Zealand

Must have been a welsh home crowd for the Crusaders then?

yeah whatever that means...the same old tape perhaps? speaking of boorish...

They boo kickers down there too.  

Not so classy.

No one minds this in one game, or maybe even a series. (Even though it is not too sporting) But at this stage? Come on lads.

The booing o cooper every time he got the ball was really getting to me never mind him..Is it really nessersery?

even the players are sick of it...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10901241

Well done to Dagg for calling for an end to it. In NH international rugby there have been cases of kickers being booed, but I can't think of instances where a particular player has been booed just for touching the ball. Wherever it happens its good to see opposition player telling the fans to get a grip and call it a day. Its not like Quade has gouged anyone.

Just sort of realized this was a club match, not international....Either way good to see Dagg telling his fans to call it a day.

Didn't watch the game as out in the whop whops. Guess the only thing I'd add, is that kiwi crowds don't make a habit of booing single players, just Quade, because he has a special place in our hearts. It's like a Mexican wave and become a cult-like thing to do like the 'bring back buck' chant. Just silliness but accept it is not a good look. I reckon he'll get booed for eternity in NZ.

A very similar thing happened in cricket with Kevin Pietersen. When he made his bow in South Africa, he was booed, for everything and anything. When he came back for the next tour, we simply got tired of it. I suppose its different though because KP only came back twice in four years... Quade has to play games in New Zealand every year. It will die out though

I guess we have to accept that all crowds boo kickers, it isn't done in a malicious sence in my opinion, but more as a sign of support for their team.

My wife will watch a springbok vs whoever match (does happen once a year) and when the opposition kickers goes for goal she'll sit here in the tv room going "miss, miss, miss, miss, AGH"

Nothiing malicious just wants us to win.

Why did KP opt for England? Could he not get onto the SA team? Also there seems to be quite a few SAs on the english cricket team.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Why did KP opt for England? Could he not get onto the SA team? Also there seems to be quite a few SAs on the english cricket team.

If by quite a few you mean two (you could feasibly argue that Prior counts but as he has been here since he was 11, it would be a weak argument indeed), then you are correct

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Why did KP opt for England? Could he not get onto the SA team? Also there seems to be quite a few SAs on the english cricket team.

to be fair there are a lot of SA's everywhere these days.

Biltong wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Why did KP opt for England? Could he not get onto the SA team? Also there seems to be quite a few SAs on the english cricket team.

to be fair there are a lot of SA's everywhere these days.

At my hospital here in Jersey, we have an OR nurse who is an absolute pleasure to work with, is damn good at her job, but is pretty to a fault. Even her eyes in the OR are distracting (when the other distracting features are covered). Only problem is she is from near Pretoria and when she cusses at us in Afrikanns, we don't have a clue.  An frankly, don't care, those eyes..........

The booing of almost anyone is against my DNA.  Maybe its OK to give a guy a raspberry once or twice.  But then, let go.  Message delivered.  Quade Cooper must hold a special place in the hearts of all Kiwis to engender such a reaction.  Seriously, what has he done to merit THIS continual treatment?  Have his way with everyone's sister?  Blow up that useless Greenpeace boat which was blamed on the French?  Start an earthquake?  I would like to understand.  He is a bit of a arse, but continual booing?  Any breath left for applauding a nice play by anyone else?

I'd boo KP, but only once.  He clearly has the extra arse gene in his DNA.  But if he connects another hundred in the third test, I might give him a pass.  

And I never boo kickers.  Its bad juju and bad form.  And besides, my dad will kick my arse if I do.  Over multi-decades starting when I was a ute, I was raised to not boo kickers and is now an integral part of my Rugby DNA.  I could boo in the quiet of my home and somehow, some way, my Dad will know.  He just does.

Glad to hear you have eye candy at work Doc. Well, Quade was a pest when he kneed McCaw in the head, ruffled the great Man's hair when they scored the winning try, spoke derogatorily about his birth place NZ to the media, and got his mummy to ask the country to please stop booing him (red rag to a bull that is). Also, we 'were' afraid of his skills, not so much anymore. Add that all together and he's ripe for a good old fashioned booing, in good nature of course, and in between Mexican waves and beers at half time.

ebop wrote:...he's ripe for a good old fashioned booing, in good nature of course...

That's the problem. There was nothing good-natured about the booing at all.

In fact, a few of those defending the abuse over on Green and Gold and The Roar are pretty full of bile when they write about Cooper. Anyone who thinks it's all just a bit of fun should probably consider the company they are keeping before they decide to boo him all the way through a match again.

Have to agree, it was bad form seeing it happen in the late second half; well done, he declared for Oz not NZ. The joke is old now guys, much like the 'in the hole!!!!' gang that follow Tiger around. Its done, jog on.

In fact, the lack of hostility will probably freak Quade out more, send the message that he is now irrelavant.

As Thomas Castaignede said of the Thomond Park silence while kicking, I spent my career blocking out noise, but I couldn't block out the silence.

Or words to that effect.

I understand it's the first time that Coopers been in Christchurch for years. In fact since the original stoush with McCaw. I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. Although I'm glad that players have come out and asked the fans to knock it off. Not something I'd do.