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Long road back ... Cooper is keen to make amends for his forgettable outburst. Source:News Limited
Controversial Queensland Reds playmaker Quade Cooper is eager to put a topsy-turvy 2012 behind him and use his recent boxing success as a building block towards regaining the Wallabies No.10 jersey.
Cooper returns to the rugby field on Saturday night in the Reds' season-opener against the Brumbies and if his recent knockout of Barry Dunnett is anything to go by, he appears to be in the best physical shape of his career.
"I think it helped my footwork and when I started boxing … it helped with my knee rehab," Cooper told Fox Sports' Rugby HQ.
"I feel like I'm in a good space leading into the season from a footwork point-of-view and a fitness point-of-view as well."
Boxing aside, Cooper knows there's still plenty of hard work to come on the rugby field if he's to regain the superb form of 2011.
He's also chasing redemption with the Wallabies and coach Robbie Deans, who were the targets of his now famous "toxic" environment Twitter tirade and follow-up comments on The Rugby Club.
"It's a very important year but I'm not going to get clouded and all that sort of stuff from the past," Cooper said of the comments that saw him fined $40,000 and handed a two-match suspended ban.
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"I said a few things and I also apologised for a few of the things that I said.
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"There was a lot of emotions, up and down, with the way I was playing and a few things behind the scenes.
"But I'm not going to get caught up in that … I'm hoping that this year will be a positive year."
The 24-year-old fly half wants to make that unfortunate period a distant memory by winning back the Wallabies No.10 jersey and securing a place against the British and Irish Lions.
But that's easier said than done with good mates Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor both keen to fill the playmaking role, and talented Brumbies five-eighth Christian Lealiifano also on Deans's radar.
Watch the Reds take on the Brumbies, Live and in HD from 7.30pm (EDT) Saturday on Fox Sports 2HD!
"It's been a great building block with the start of the season with the boxing and getting fit and having a pre-season with the Reds boys," Cooper said of his start to 2013.
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"So I'm really excited about the opportunity of gaining back my spot in the Wallabies and it's a big year ahead with the Lions.
"And if I'm fortunate enough to put the gold jumper on and play again for the Wallabies this year, against the Lions, then that will be great.
"But then again, if I'm not selected for it then all I can do is play the best football I can and hopefully be a part of the 2013 set-up."
Cooper's journey back to the top begins at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
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