Wallabies World Cup reject Quade Cooper will return to action with his club side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners in the latest round of Japan Rugby League One.
The 35-year-old - who was a controversial omission from Eddie Jones's Rugby World Cup squad last year returned from long-term injury in the nick of time last season to save his club when Kintetsu staved off relegation by beating Israel Folau's Urayasu D-Rocks in the league's 'replacement battle'.
He will combine with his long-time Test halves partner Will Genia against opponent who also boast two former Queensland Reds in the shape of backs Isaac Lucas and Matt McGahan.
Former Wallabies coaches Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie have edgy assignments.
Deans and his unbeaten Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights host his old New Zealand sparring partner Steve Hansen's Toyota Verblitz at Kumagaya on Saturday.
The pair, whose association goes back to the start of the century when Hansen assisted Deans at the Crusaders, have coached against each other in the international arena, and now in Japan.
Hansen has yet to get the better of his former club boss in Japan but will arrive with a cast that includes All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith, Springboks star Pieter Steph du Toit and Brave Blossoms skipper Kazuki Himeno.
Source:
rugby.com.au
