Andrew Johnsen: Quade's a guy we love to hate

Quade Cooper gets lined up by All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa. Cooper has been a target for New Zealand rugby fans, which is great for the game. Photo / Photosport.nz

Sport is theatre; and in theatre, villains are needed in order to make a compelling narrative. Like Byron Kelleher had George Gregan in 2003 and Grant Elliot had Brad Haddin in 2015, New Zealand rugby fans have Quade Cooper.

Even if you don't know a thing about rugby, chances are you've heard about the tattooed first five-eighth at some point in the last fortnight.

Cooper is a flawed genius. He has all the ability in the world, but can inexplicably go off the boil.

For every mesmerising "how did he do that?" play, there is an equally captivating head-scratcher.

He is the perfect villain.

From the moment he dropped his knee into Richie McCaw, possibly the greatest to ever play the game, in Hong Kong in 2010, he sealed his fate as the most vilified sportsman to come out of New Zealand.

Of course, a great villain needs to pose a verifiable threat; something the Tokoroa-raised Cooper does, far more than fellow first five Bernard Foley.

While Foley is a good toiler, he isn't a player who can break a game open. He doesn't have any of the flair that Cooper possesses.

That is why Cooper is the best first five for Australia. They are never going to go toe-to-toe with the All Blacks on the back of their defence, no one is.

But, they can pose a threat if they can attack.

Behind Cooper's unwillingness, rather than inability, to defend and the mental block he seems to have against the All Blacks is a player with great distribution skills, a knack for getting under the skin of players, a great running game and, most importantly, X-factor.

And it's his ability to rattle anyone's cage that polarises him as a player.

The infallible McCaw admitted he allowed Cooper to needle him, something the New Zealand public can't let go of - and they shouldn't.

McCaw wrote in his book published last year: "The intent of what he was trying to do [when he kneed McCaw in the face] pissed me off more than the execution.

"Shortly after that happened, I was carrying and should have passed, but I lit up and I saw Quade standing in front of me and clattered into him instead.

"I was disappointed in myself for doing that, letting it get personal."

It's this sort of act that makes him villainous in the eye of the New Zealand public.

Australia is simply not on the same level as New Zealand, rendering Bledisloe Cup tests almost pointless, and pundits see that.

But, with Cooper in the fold, it adds more drama to the contest and gives people a reason to unify against a common foe.

Look back at any contest between New Zealand and Australia where Cooper has played and you will hear a myriad of boos and, when he makes a mistake, a chorus of cheers.

So, go on Quade, continue your Oscar-worthy portrayal of the Joker to New Zealand's Batman. It's what the audience demands of you.