Quick Facts
Biography
Adam Ashley-Cooper (born 27 March 1984 in Sydney) is an Australian rugby union player. He plays for Australia, and for the Bordeaux in the Top 14 competition. He is known as Mr Versatile.
Early years
Ashley-Cooper took up rugby as a 15-year-old while living on the Central Coast in NSW. He was educated at the Berkeley Vale Community High School, the same school that produced Scottish and British Rugby Union star Nathan Hines, NRL Prop and Wests Tigers Assistant Coach Paul Stringer and Olympic Marathon runner and City to Surf winner Martin Dent. He played junior rugby for the Ourimbah Razorbacks on the NSW Central Coast, the same club as Hines. 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."
Super Rugby
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. 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. 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.
In 2005, he made his Super Rugby debut on the wing for the Brumbies at home against the Crusaders. 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.
In the 2006 Super Rugby season, Ashley-Cooper played 12 matches for the Brumbies, and scored two tries.
Australia
Ashley-Cooper is a member of the Wallabies. "He missed just four of the 56 Tests played by Australia between 2008 and 2011, and just one of 42 through 2009 and 2011." His five tries at the 2011 Rugby World Cup saw him finish in the tournament's top five try-scorers.
In Ewen McKenzie's second year in charge as Wallabies coach, McKenzie named Ashley-Cooper as Wallabies vice-captain with Waratahs team-mate Michael Hooper and hooker Stephen Moore as Wallabies captain for the 2014 three-test June series against France.
Bordeaux
In December 2014, French Top 14 side Bordeaux announced that Ashley-Cooper would join them on a two-year contract after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Versatility
The "Mr Versatile" Ashley-Cooper sometimes labelled Australia's "Mister Fix It" is a utility 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." According to Growden, Wallabies ex-coach Robbie Deans thinks Ashley-Cooper's versatility is part of what makes him invaluable.
Against Italy, Ireland, USA, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Wales at the 2011 Rugby World Cup Ashley-Cooper played outside centre (13), on the wings (both 11 & 14), and fullback (15). Similarly, at the 2007 Rugby World Cup he covered the centres against Canada (12), Fiji (13), and wing against Japan (14), and England (14).
On occasion he plays for the Waratahs at inside centre (12).