Adam Ashley-Cooper Faces Some Really Difficult Decisions In The Coming Weeks

Adam Ashley-Cooper is preparing for a showdown with his club, Bordeaux-Bègles in the coming weeks as he prepares for his Wallabies return.

While Bordeaux have allowed Ashley-Cooper to play in Australia’s first two matches of the Rugby Championship against New Zealand – which also serve as Bledisloe Cup games on August 20 and 27 – the 32-year old is set to face a battle between club and country for the tournament’s other fixtures.  The Rugby Championship lasts two months with its first round of matches commencing a day before the Top 14 season starts.

Fellow Wallabies Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, who are also based in France, have admitted that they make a financial sacrifice when they leave their club, Toulon, and are in the same situation like Ashley-Cooper.

“I’ve just kind of made the decision to come back based on these first two games and the (third) encounter against the Kiwis, which is the Bledisloe,” Ashley-Cooper told AAP on Tuesday.

“My situation’s a little bit different to the boys who are here fulltime, so I’ve got to play that on the run.

“But, for me, my decision was based on achieving a Bledisloe Cup.”

When asked if he would be available to play in the last Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland, Ashley-Cooper replied:

“I tell you what, that certainly makes the conversation with my French club president over there very, very interesting.

“I’ve only got one ambition this year and that’s to raise the Bledisloe Cup.” [Planet Rugby]