Heckling Kiwis crushed Quade Cooper but now he's back in Boks seat QUADE Cooper admits the boos and jeers of the New Zealand crowd at the 2011 World Cup got to him. Now he says he can handle the heckling that arrives every time he touches the ball on the other side of the Tasman. Cooper has been Public Enemy No 1 in New Zealand since his running battle with All Blacks captain Richie McCaw escalated just before the World Cup. Asked whether the jeering from the Kiwis motivated him, Cooper said: "It is not something that motivates you. You can't let it get you down. You can't let it get to you. I look a few years back at the World Cup and I may have let it get to me. Now it is something you expect. You don't go out there and get a fright by what's happening around you. You go out there and just play footy. It is not something I don't expect. I am sure everybody else, the journos, the public, they all know it is going to happen. I'm no different. The first big surprise of Ewen McKenzie's term as Wallabies coach was that he did not start Cooper, his playmaker at the Queensland Reds, in the opening two Bledisloe Cup Tests against the All Blacks. McKenzie maintained the decision to start Matt Toomua ahead of Cooper was tactical, but there is a theory that he sat him on the reserves bench against the All Blacks to protect him. McKenzie needs Cooper and halfback Will Genia to direct the new style of game he is introducing. He could not afford to have Cooper targeted by both the All Blacks and the New Zealand crowd. The fact Cooper has been recalled to start against the Springboks in his home town of Brisbane on Saturday night would seem to give some credence to the theory. Asked how he reacted when McKenzie benched him for the All Blacks Tests, Cooper seemed comfortable with the call. "I have a lot of respect for him (McKenzie) as a person and as a coach," he said. When he picked Matty Toomua, I knew there was a reason behind it. If McKenzie's management of Cooper results in an outstanding performance against the Springboks, it will be viewed as a masterstroke. Cooper was clearly delighted to be back in the gold No 10 jersey. "It really doesn't matter where you put on the Test jumper, whether you are on the bench or starting, it is a great privilege to represent your country," he said. Team: 15: Israel Folau, 14: Nick Cummins, 13: Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12: Christian Lealiifano, 11: James O'Connor, 10: Quade Cooper, 9; Will Genia, 8: Ben Mowen, 7: Michael Hooper, 6: Scott Fardy, 5: James Horwill (c), 4: Rob Simmons, 3: Sekope Kepu, 2: Stephen Moore, 1: James Slipper. Reserves. 16: Saia Faingaa, 17: Scott Sio, 18: Ben Alexander, 19: Kane Douglas, 20: Jake Schatz, 21: Nic White, 22: Matt Toomua, 23; Jesse Mogg.