Rebels coach Dave Wessels says new recruit Quade Cooper can force his way into the Wallabies squad for the 2019 World Cup in Japan. 

The Rebels have handed Cooper a career lifeline after he was left to play club rugby by the Reds this year.

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Wessels told the Canberra Times that he has no doubt Cooper can thrive in Melbourne, which could lead to a recall to the Test squad.

‘What has been so refreshing with my discussions with Quade has been his appetite to work hard over the next couple of months, which is what we expect of him,’ Wessels said. ‘My feeling is a talent like his deserves to be playing at the top level of the game, but through a series of events, he has ended up missing out on that.

‘The only person who is going to change that now is him. If he is in a mind-space to come in, work hard and put the effort in, then he certainly has the ability to be anything and certainly go to the World Cup.

‘It would be great for him to do that but it’s a long way from where we are now.’

The 70-cap playmaker made the last of his Test appearances as a substitute in the Wallabies’ win against Italy in June 2017.

Photo: Dean Lewins/EPA