Wallabies coach Robbie Deans gets flak for dumping Quade Cooper

Queensland Reds head coach Ewen McKenzie has backed his ditched Wallaby Quade Cooper over defensive concerns for next month's test series against the British & Irish Lions.

McKenzie joined Australian rugby pundits in taking issue with coach Robbie Deans for leaving playmaker Cooper out of his initial Wallabies squad. McKenzie said he wanted to know why Deans was only now demanding Cooper defend in the front line for the Reds to have any hope of featuring in the Lions tests.

"Myself, Robbie and Quade had a discussion about Quade and where he defends at the start of last year and we haven't had any discussions since," McKenzie said from South Africa.

"So now he has one match to defend in the front line to make the Lions squad? It's easy to say that now. What's he been saying for the last 13 weeks? It's not like he hasn't been defending in the front line anyway."

One rugby commentator labelled Cooper's omission a "travesty", while another said the maverick flyhalf was paying for an outburst last year at Deans and for calling the Wallabies' environment "toxic".

Deans has talked up the merits of James O'Connor at flyhalf instead of Cooper, who will still get a chance to join the final squad as one of six players to be added on June 10.