Ballarat is in the running to be the stage for the debut of highly credentialled recruit Quade Cooper with Melbourne Rebels.
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Cooper was a late withdrawal from the Rebels’ Super Rugby trial match against the Brumbies in Canberra on Sunday.
He was ruled out with what has been described as a “knee niggle”.
The Rebels return to Ballarat to play Queensland Reds in another pre-season practice match-up at Mars Stadium on Friday.
It would be a fitting game for the 30-year-old Cooper to don the Rebels colours for the first time.
Cooper is a veteran of more than 100 games with the Reds, last playing with them in 2017.
While he remained on Queensland’s list and payroll, he spent last season in exile playing with Souths in Brisbane club rugby, and Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship after a fall-out with the Reds.
The move to Melbourne is an opportunity for Cooper to rebuild his Super Rugby career and make another bid to add to his 70 appearances with the Wallabies on the international scene.
For the Rebels, which lost to the Brumbies 52-38, the trial game – which starts at 6pm - is their second visit to Ballarat in the past few weeks.
They had an extended training camp as part of an ongoing commitment to the City of Ballarat and St Patrick’s College.
The Rebels have entered a three-year agreement with the City of Ballarat.
Friday’s program will also feature a “Little Rebels” clinic come-and-try session from 5pm, with a focus on female participation as part of the city’s active women and girls’ participation strategy.
The Rebels meet the Brumbies in Canberra in the opening round of the Super Rugby season on Friday, February 15.
