Quade Cooper now starts his real fight Reds' Quade Cooper in action against the Brumbies. FIVE months ago, Quade Cooper disrespected every single person who has worn a Wallabies jersey. The next four months will determine whether he has earned the respect to return to the inner sanctum of Australia's national team to face the British and Irish Lions. Cooper was damning of the environment that existed in the team when he labelled it as "toxic." The drivers of that environment are still there, so he will have to suck it up. I am not convinced that Cooper will be the No.10 against the Lions, but he has until June to show he deserves to start in the first Test. It's not only the component of attacking flair, but he needs to show he is capable of controlling and influencing games of football through poise, picking the right moments, steering the team around, frustrating the opposition by taking different options and flawless defence. Funnily enough, I believe the biggest winner out of the boxing circus Cooper participated in last week will be Australian rugby. Here is a polarising figure who puts himself in the spotlight with critics hoping to see him knocked out. The fact he survived that fight unscathed, and actually impressed, will have given Cooper more confidence than any rugby game could. Mental strength is something you can't quantify or truly appreciate until you put yourself in such a position of possible humiliation. There were no big forwards to hide behind, he was by himself with only his fists for protection, and he found a solution. Queensland and Australian rugby will benefit greatly from that, because while Cooper has talked a good game in recent years I believe much of it has been smoke and mirrors, and that he has lacked true confidence. But after the boxing experience he would be feeling invincible at the moment, and we will see a fundamental shift in Quade Cooper. The boxing training has also helped. I saw him recently and he is in the best shape I've ever seen him, particularly his upper body. Now we need to see him establish himself not only as a great Super Rugby player, but as a genuine world-class international playmaker. Test matches are a different beast to Super Rugby, which is more loose and open. In Tests, players must play with maturity and restraint for extended periods. Cooper must show that he has a capacity to control games because the Wallabies don't need an erratic No.10, they need a five-eighth who will be the go-to man in the tough situations. If he does re-enter the Wallabies dressing room, he will have to demonstrate to senior members that he is a changed man. It is a unique brotherhood to be among the Wallaby fraternity. This is a team that has been around for 114 years, yet only 880 men have been bestowed the honour of representing it. I believe coach Robbie Deans and Cooper can work together because I have no doubt both want the best players picked against the Lions. In any work environment, you have to put personal differences aside and focus on the task at hand. That task is to ensure Australia defeat the might of the Four Nations teams squeezed into the Lions. If Cooper is a good enough player and person, he will be part of that campaign. If not, he will join the majority of Australian players who never got the chance to participate in this once-every-12-years series, and live with the regret.