From World Cups to Lions tours, Wallabies test centurion Adam Ashley-Cooper takes us through his incredible career
Adam Ashley-Cooper is an Australian rugby legend with international career that boasts 121 caps across 14 years.
He also represented the Wallabies in four Rugby World Cups and played against the British and Irish Lions in 2013. Ashley-Cooper has also been a Barbarian and won Super Rugby with the Waratahs.
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He also played for the likes of Bordeaux in France, the LA Giltinis in the USA and Kore Steelers in Japan.
But what would be the standout moments for Ashley-Cooper in his career? Below he selected the photos of his rugby career for Rugby World.
Century maker – 2014
Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies walks onto the field in cricket whites (Getty Images)
“The day before my 100th Test (v New Zealand). A mate dropped the seed in my head of celebrating the 100th photo in the best way an Australian can – by getting suited up in all-white cricket gear. We got the full kit from the Aussie cricket team. I let the boys go out, then I followed last in the full gear. When they took the photo, I raised the century bat. Credit to Bog Ratt for the idea.”
City of Stars – 2021
Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper of the LA Giltinis stand for a portrait (Getty Images for LA Giltinis)
“With team-mate Matt Giteau at LA Giltinis. If you think you’d never play for the Wallabies, you’d certainly not expect to play in LA – a brilliant experience after the 2019 World Cup. I started to look at retirement and the transition into the real world.
“Then Adam Gilchrist, the F45 co-founder not the cricketer, reached out and showed me his dream in the USA for rugby. I headed over with some mates and we put something together quite special, and different. When you win Major League Rugby, you become ‘world champions’ – a nice way to round off the career!”
Rugby Champ – 2015
Australia’s Adam Ashley-Cooper celebrates his try against the New Zealand All Blacks during the Bledisloe Cup Test match (Getty Images)
“Scoring against NZ to win the Rugby Championship – a special year. Michael Cheika took the reins in late 2014, brought Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell back from France, and got the team well connected, which we all bought into. Over the previous few World Cups, Australia hadn’t really competed but we knew we had the team for it. That Rugby Championship campaign was the start of something special for us.”
Related: Who are the British and Irish Lions coaches?
Picture perfect – 2019
Adam Ashley-Cooper of Australia poses for a portrait (Getty Images)
“The squad photo call for the 2019 World Cup. The goal behind a fourth World Cup was that in 2007 I’d lost a quarter, in 2011 I’d lost a semi and in 2015 I’d lost a final. I feel like I’d given it a run to hold ‘Old Bill’, the Webb Ellis Cup, and just not managed it.
“In 2018 I was in Japan but the fire was still burning, so I decided to give it one last crack and went back to play Super Rugby with the Waratahs to get selected. The moment I was most proud of was the work I did before the tournament to get myself back in the squad.”
End of an era – 2019
Adam Ashley-Cooper (C) and Australia players applaud fans (Getty Images)
“You know what? This is the first time I’ve been reminded that this was my last Test (v Uruguay in Oita). That’s what you get when suffering the disappointment of an unsuccessful campaign – you quickly forget about it (Australia lost to England in the RWC 2019 quarter-finals).
“You don’t consider the milestone because of the loss and regret that are associated with not achieving what you want. We aspired to win the World Cup. I never thought it was my last Test at the time. I’m proud to have done it in the indigenous jersey with one of my best mates, Kurtley Beale, who is First Nation. Looking back, it was a nice place to finish.”
Hat-trick hero – 2015
Adam Ashley-Cooper of Australia dives over to score his sides third try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Semi Final match between Argentina and Australia (Getty Images)
“To score in any Test is very special. To claim a hat-trick in the semi-final of a World Cup (against Argentina) is not something you prepare for. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time. The funny thing about this hat-trick was that the third try came after Drew Mitchell beat about four defenders but then threw me an absolute stinker of a pass. I didn’t think I’d scored at first. I don’t think Drew wanted me to have the hat-trick!”
Shining start – 2005
Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Brumbies in action during the round one Super 12 (Getty Images)
“My Super Rugby debut! Such an important moment for me and my family. My older half-brother, Graeme Bond, was a Brumbie, so for me to follow in his footsteps meant a lot to not just me but my mum and dad. The shiner on the cheek was courtesy of Rico Gear, a Crusaders legend. I wore that with a lot of pride in the weeks following. I didn’t realise after that game that things would go in the direction they did. A proud day, for sure.”
The lowest low – 2015
Adam Ashley-Cooper of Australia stands dejected as Beauden Barrett of the New Zealand All Blacks is congratulated by teammates on scoring his sides final try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final (Getty Images)
“This photo sums up how I felt. I’d never been on such a high in my career as in 2015: the work we’d put in, the successful Rugby Championship, the campaign to get to the final, playing effectively five finals in a row to get there. The momentum, the support, in England and at home.
“We went into that final with nothing to lose against the All Blacks, who were the favourites. It’s the way footy goes, it’s the rollercoaster of the game. I went from the highest high to the lowest low in just 80 minutes. I still look back with real pride and gratitude as it was a special moment for Australian rugby.”
Super duper – 2014
The Waratahs celebrate a try by Adam Ashley-Cooper (Getty Images)
“This one means a lot to me because it was my first Grand Final win (33-32 v Crusaders in Sydney). I’d been playing since the age of five and had been in a dozen or so finals without winning one! I thought I was cursed but this got the monkey off my back. What was special about that year was that we committed to each other and the state of New South Wales to bring them something special. After that final, the community responded so well to us and it was a great time to be involved with the Waratahs.”
Green and golden – 2005
Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies makes his national debut (Getty Images)
“Jeez, where do I start? The fact I didn’t have a number on my back? The fact I was plucked out of the crowd in Perth five minutes before the game? The fact I was halfway through a Four’n Twenty meat pie and a couple of beers? It was a bizarre night.
“Every kid who aspires to play for their country has dreamed of being plucked out of the crowd to save the day and it actually happened to me (SA won 22-19). But it wasn’t my father’s proudest moment. That was when I was the answer to a trivia question on the bottle cap of Toohey’s beer. That’s when I’d really made it.”
Mum’s the word – 2014
Adam Ashley-Cooper’s mother talks to All Blacks captain Richie McCaw (Getty Images)
“That’s my mum, absolutely proud as punch next to Richie McCaw at Suncorp Stadium. I never thought I’d play one cap for the Wallabies. I never thought I’d play two. But I did and before I knew it, I’d played 100. To do it at home in front of your own crowd was great.
“Ewan McKenzie didn’t play me in an away Test before that so that I could have the moment in front of an Australian crowd and so the family could be there. There’s no better way than playing your 100th against the All Blacks too, who claimed the win (29-28) in the last moments – which is classic All Blacks.”
Baa-Baa Brilliant – 2010
Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Barbarians poses for a portrait (Getty Images)
“Playing for the Barbarians was something that I’d always wanted to do. Their style of play, the stories in the lead-up to the game. I finally got the opportunity in 2010 to play in London against South Africa. I got some good advice from Gits and Drew, which was that you are there to have fun and then rip in at the weekend. It’s recommended you back up your performance off the pitch with one on it if you want to be invited back. I played centre in an amazing back-line with Will Genia, Gits at ten, Drew, Ma’a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko and James O’Connor – we won (26-20).”
Related: When will the British and Irish Lions squad be anounced?
Lion tamer – 2013
Adam Ashley-Cooper of the Wallabies celebrates scoring a try (Getty Images)
“Celebrating a try against the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne. Scoring tries is always a bonus but you don’t prepare for it – you prepare for what you can do for the wider team and that performance. Luckily for us, we were able to win this (second) Test and take it to a decider. That whole Lions experience is unique for us opposition because it’s once every 12 years. It felt bigger than a World Cup – the hype, build-up, away fans. I look back on it with fond memories.”
Read more: 2013 Lions tour: Halfpenny’s experience
I should KOKO – 2008
(L-R) Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Giteau of the Wallabies (Getty Images)
“A captain’s run in 2008. Who’d have thought that I’d still be with Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell all these years later, sitting on a couch speaking garbage every week for the Kick Offs and Kick Ons show?! That’s the beauty of rugby – it creates special bonds that last a lifetime.”
This article first appeared in Issue 304 of Rugby World magazine.
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