Gareth Cooper – the Welsh and Cardiff Blues scrum half, is now part of neither the Welsh or Cardiff Blues set up. Instead he is taking up to 12 months out of rugby due to injury – and will be doing so away from the Cardiff Blues after they agreed a release. (for the full statement and debate on it check out this thread – sign up and join in!)
This of course comes hot on the heels that James Hook is leaving the Ospreys
In his own words
“I’ve come to an amicable agreement with Cardiff Blues and would like to thank them for all their support over the years. It’s been a frustrating couple of years for me and things haven’t quite worked as I’d hoped. I don’t think I’ve shown my full potential at the Blues due to the groin injury.
I’ve been told by the medical team that I need a full rest from the game for between 6 to 12 months. The groin injury started to hurt in the summer of 2009 and it’s got progressively worse. Throughout that period I’d been playing with a lot of pain and had to have two operations on the groin and then a double hernia operation.
This season I’ve played 20 minutes against Treviso and started against Connacht but I had to take pain killers, so the doctors have recommended that I am to rest fully for up to a year.
Obviously I will miss all the players and management who have been fantastic with me since I arrived and would like to wish them the best of luck for the future.”
I find it very interesting that he has been getting progressively more ‘injured’ since the summer of 2009. Most Cardiff fans won’t think of him fondly – the last time he came off the pitch for the Blues was to great cheers of the crowd, because they wanted him off the pitch.
He has never been at his best for the Blues, and fans never warmed to him as they did Jason Spice. Maybe this says why.
His position at Cardiff Blues has been taken by Richie Rees in recent times – one of the most improved players in Wales, and as a 2nd choice 9 he was starting to come under pressure from Lloyd Williams. Maybe this was the right time to make the announcement.
Certainly though I am sure everyone in Wales wishes him all the best, both in his fight with injury and then the coming back to a club. In 2003 he was excellent, and whilst he may not have hit the heights since I am sure there are plenty of teams who could use him when he is back to full fitness.
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