Cooper and Hunt unlikely to feature in the NRC

In an interview with rugby.com.au Brisbane City coach Mick Heenan stated that exiled Reds' backs Quade Cooper and Karmichael Hunt are unlikely to feature for the side during this year's National Rugby Championship stating there isn't much "logic" in selecting the pair.

Heenan has indicated that he is planning for life without the star duo saying: 

"I’m just kind of waiting to hear from a few people as to how all that will play out," Heenan told RUGBY.com.au.

"I don’t know what the contract situation is yet and whether they will be around or not.

"Obviously NRC is a development pathway for the Reds and if those guys aren't involved there, there probably isn’t much logic having them in an NRC side."

It's understood that the Queensland Reds will not stand in Heenan's way if he opts to select either Hunt or Cooper, as that would go against the policy employed in previous years, where Reds coaches have left NRC bosses to select their teams as they see fit.

Neither player has featured for Brad Thorn's side during the 2018 Super Rugby season with Cooper even turning down offers from other Super Rugby sides. The pair look set to miss the NRC with Heenan saying:

"We're preparing as though we will be without them," 

"But they’re both good players and we will have to just wait and see."

Full story via rugby.com.au