Quade Cooper was stretchered off Ballymore as the Melbourne Rebels produced a shock 18-13 trial upset of the Queensland Reds on Friday night.
Cooper fell awkwardly in the final minute of the match to bring a long halt to play as a dozen medics and concerned officials tended to the Wallabies playmaker.
The suspected head injury has the five-eighth in grave doubt for the Reds’ Super Rugby opener against the Brumbies next Saturday in Canberra.
It also left a pall over the final pre-season encounter and took that attention away from the Rebels’ stirring victory.
Rugged has not been a word associated with the Melbourne franchise in their first three seasons of life.
Neither has powerful or gritty, but they produced on each front to promise life will be different in 2014 under new coach Tony McGahan.
The Rebels completed a pre-season clean sweep with the two-tries-to one victory after fighting back from 13-0 down midway through the first half.
McGahan has worked overtime at toughening up the Melbourne squad and game, and they showed in their defensive and breakdown ferocity they will be a far more imposing force.
As well as their physicality, the Rebels showed good signs in attack with young playmaker Bryce Hegarty outshining Cooper before he left the field in a neck brace.
All Black recruit Tamati Ellison completed a full game in the centres but another former Kiwi, Australian-born prop Toby Smith, had the biggest impact, including a number of big hits.
In stark contrast was the performance of Queensland’s prize recruit Lachie Turner whose hopes of starting against the Brumbies may have been dashed in the loss, especially after surprise benchwarmer Aidan Toua’s produced the best attacking moments when he came on.
Despite the Rebels’ willing defence and intensity at the breakdown, the home side jumped to a 13-0 lead after 20 minutes when Liam Gill showed the skills he has to offer with a chip ahead under pressure for Will Genia to score.
But it only sparked the Rebels fightback as Hegarty exploited the lack of Reds defensive cover with a perfect grubber for Angus Roberts to dot down in-goal.
Hegarty, the former Brisbane Broncos colt was enjoying his return home, landing the conversion from the sideline before taking a quick tap and showing a clean pair of heels for field position that led to a penalty goal and a 13-10 scoreline.
In the best backline move of the first half, the Rebels sent Tom English away down the left wing and he powered over the top of Lachie Turner for Scott Fuglistaller to score and give his side a surprise 15-13 halftime lead.
While Hegarty shone, Cooper’s attacking game was off the boil and the Reds lacked the polish they showed in last week’s 31-20 win over the Chiefs.
