Rugby: Cooper warming up for a big splash

Quade Cooper jumps into Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown.

Quade Cooper this week released a picture of himself leaping into Lake Wakatipu at Queenstown, water so cold swimmers rarely enter it at the height of summer let alone in spring with snow clearly visible on Cecil Peak.

The controversial Wallabies' first-five's only comment attached to the snap, sent to his Twitter followers, was "Fresh". Hopefully the shock of his extreme ice bath will awaken something in him, for he needs to fire against the All Blacks tonight for his sake and for the sake of his team.

Physically Cooper appears to be as good as he's ever been, and at 25 he should be approaching the peak of his powers. The statistic released last week which stated he is a more effective tackler than Richie McCaw was a bit of a red herring, but there is no doubt his defence has improved.

He no longer hides as much at fullback.

It's his attacking game which he needs to display now.

The All Blacks believe they have him pegged and it's true that they have been able to put him under immense pressure over the past couple of years, but Cooper has a gilt-edged chance to get his own back in what would be a big upset, but one which isn't as far fetched as many might think.

He and the Wallabies, who haven't won in New Zealand since their victory at Carisbrook 12 years ago, will struggle to get a better chance.

The Bledisloe Cup is already locked away. There is no Richie McCaw, no Owen Franks, no Conrad Smith. Ben Smith is in an unfamiliar centre position. Charles Piutau is making his first test start. Can the All Blacks get up again following the emotional high of Johannesburg?

Unfortunately for the Wallabies, Cooper, in his first start against the All Blacks this year, has an inexperienced backline to work with.

Wing Peter Betham is making his test debut, second-five Matt Toomua has played only six tests and centre Tevita Kuridrani only four. Fullback Israel Folau, while an undoubted talent, is still finding his way in the game.

Right wing Adam Ashley-Cooper is playing out of position - as a centre he could have asked serious questions of the new Ma'a Nonu/Ben Smith partnership.

However, halfback Will Genia, who is playing his 50th test, is due for a big one, and, above all else, the Wallabies are unencumbered by expectations from within New Zealand or Australia.

"They scored seven tries [against the Pumas in their last outing] and will be feeling a lot better about themselves," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said this week. "They've got nothing to lose so that will make them dangerous."

Hansen added of the man who must be Australia's attacking linchpin: "I've actually got quite a lot of respect for Cooper as a player. I think he [plays with a lot of flair] and when he's allowed to play without pressure he can be very, very dangerous so ... they'll move the ball a lot and we'll need to be awake defensively because he can do the unexpected."

It's time for Cooper to make a splash on the field for a change.