Adam Ashley-Cooper (born 27 March 1984) is a former Australianrugby union player who last played for the LA GiltinisofMajor League Rugby (MLR). He has played in 121 matches for Australia, the third most of any Australia player at the time of his retirement.[2][3] His nickname is "Mr. Versatile".[4][5][6] He is currently the senior assistant coach for backs with the LA Giltinis.[7]
Ashley-Cooper is a descendant of the Earls of Shaftesbury.[8] He took up rugby as a 15-year-old while living on the Central Coast in NSW.[8] He was educated at the Berkeley Vale Community High School,[9] the same school that produced Scotland and British and Irish Lions rugby union player Nathan Hines, icon of The Entrance Cricket Club Michael Thorpe, and NRL prop and Wests Tigers assistant coach Paul Stringer. He played junior rugby for the Ourimbah Razorbacks on the NSW Central Coast, the same club as Hines.[citation needed] In his teenage years he played both 10 and 12 (fly-half and inside-centre) and says: "I was pretty much all over the shop [even] in those days."[9]
Ashley-Cooper joined the Brumbies in 2004 on an ARU development contract. He played all of the Brumbies pre-season trials, and accompanied the team to South Africa.[citation needed] As a 20-year-old Ashley-Cooper spent most of his first year at the Brumbies flying around the globe playing for the Australian sevens.[10] For the 2004 Super Rugby final between the Brumbies and Crusaders, Ashley-Cooper sat on the bench at Canberra Stadium as the Brumbies 23rd man, his boots at hand but never unpacked.[10]
In 2005, Ashley-Cooper made his Super Rugby debut on the wing for the Brumbies at home against the Crusaders.[citation needed] He subsequently played two more games that season, against the Chiefs and the Queensland Reds. He was selected for the Wallabies in their second Tri Nations match against the Springboks and made his debut in Perth.[citation needed]
Ashley-Cooper played in all but four of the 56 Tests played by Australia between 2008 and 2011, and missed just one of 42 through 2009 and 2011.[1] His five tries at the 2011 Rugby World Cup saw him finish in the tournament's top five try-scorers.[8]
Ashley-Cooper was selected for the Wallabies' 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and played the full 80 minutes of every knockout match on the right wing. He was named Man of the Match in the semi-final against Argentina on 25 October, scoring the second hat-trick of his career in the 29-15 win. This brought Ashley-Cooper's career try tally to 37 and his World Cup tally to 11.
Ashley-Cooper's last match for Australia was a 29-9 loss to New Zealand on 27 August 2016 during that year's Rugby Championship. Ashley-Cooper was subbed off in the 16th minute for a concussion test and didn't return to the field, being replaced by debutant Reece Hodge.
In November 2018, Ashley-Cooper was again selected by Australia for their game against Italy, after a break of more than two years.
Ashley-Cooper[9] has been nicknamed "Mr Versatile", and sometimes Australia's "Mister Fix It",[1] as is a utility player who can play centre, wing, or fullback. Fairfax journalist Greg Growden suggested that if Ashley-Cooper was asked: "What position do you expect to play this week?" he would answer: "I wouldn't have a clue."[9] According to Growden, Wallabies ex-coach Robbie Deans thinks Ashley-Cooper's versatility is part of what makes him invaluable.[9]
