A new era in Queensland rugby has been promised by Ewen McKenzie, but the incoming Reds coach is sweating on what role Wallabies star Quade Cooper plays in it.
Queensland's new all-red home playing strip for the 2010 Super 14 was unveiled yesterday. But McKenzie had no doubt been seeingred since Cooper's arrest for burglary on Sunday. Cooper, 21, has been bailed to appear in Southport Magistrates Court tomorrow.
"I had a discussion with him but obviously he has things coming up this week which he needs to organise," McKenzie said of Cooper. "It's a difficult time for him obviously, but it's outside of my control.
Officials are expected to consider in the coming weeks whether Cooper should be stood down until the matter is finalised.
It is hardly the start McKenzie had in mind when he took over the coaching reins from Phil Mooney.
"You know in sport every week is different," McKenzie said. "This week has had its distractions but at the same time it is a distraction outside the squad, the squad has been very focused on their preparation."
Cooper had been attending the buck's night of Reds and Wallabies teammate Peter Hynes before the alleged weekend incident on the Gold Coast. It was also reported that Cooper was subjected to independent blood and urine tests upon his release from the watch house. The ARU and QRU have denied they were behind the tests.
McKenzie said the all-red strip epitomised the new direction he would be taking the rugby battlers.
"I like innovation. I like change. I don't think it [the new strip] is radical, I just think it is a way of defining a new era, a new point in time," he said. "You've got to make those statements so people understand that it is not more of the same.
"We are all about trying to do something different next year."
