Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper helped push backline sensation Israel Folau towards rugby Quade Cooper chats with Rob Simmons at Wallabies training in Brisbane. QUADE Cooper secretly helped rugby to woo Israel Folau last year even when the chances of the pair combining to ignite a Wallabies try explosion was remote. It is great credit to Cooper's new maturity that he has fought back to get this chance to help unleash Folau's full abilities against the Springboks on Saturday night. Suncorp Stadium will be abuzz because Cooper's wide passing game and cross-kicks can activate the most underused weapon in Test rugby. Cooper's first start at No.10 in 12 months and Folau's switch from wing to a roaming fullback role creates the most attacking backline of 2013. Cooper was an outcast uncertain of his own future 11 months ago when friend Folau sought him out for advice on a switch of codes. Even though Cooper had labelled elements of Robbie Deans' Wallabies set-up as "toxic," he pushed Folau towards rugby rather than a return to the NRL when he wanted out of AFL. "I couldn't give him a straight answer on my future but I told him everything that was good about the code and how well his skills would fit," Cooper said. It wasn't about trying to persuade him to go to the Reds although there was a little push. It was about him finding what he'd enjoy and giving it 110 per cent which he certainly has in rugby. Folau had only 10 ball-carries in two Tests against New Zealand and the best pass thrown to him was from All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu for an intercept try. Quade Cooper and Israel Folau during the Sydney Bledisloe Cup Test. Springboks halfback Ruan Pienaar expects winger James O'Connor to fill the role at five-eighth in defence so Cooper can drop back as he does with the Reds. Coach Ewen McKenzie happily fed the mystery on just how Cooper, picked ahead of Matt Toomua, and Folau, pushing Jesse Mogg to the bench, would both work in the back field. Elbowing Folau out of the way to defuse the high balls of Boks bomber Morne Steyn is unlikely. "If you saw his catch from the kick-off against the All Blacks, you'd want to move out of the way and watch Izzy take them," Cooper said. He's a freak going up for the ball. McKenzie offered up what every frustrated rugby fan wanted to hear about Folau getting more involved from fullback than wing where he has played his five Tests to date. "The more times he touches the ball the better," McKenzie said. We're not going to use him as a decoy player. Quade and Izzy are both ideally suited to the way we want to play this game. Cooper also sees the extra scope for Folau: "It gives him a licence to move around the field and see where he best fits into the game.. Unless you really know wing like a Digby Ioane, you just have to stand out on the wing and wait for the ball. At fullback, he can use all his natural ability. He's a great person to just pop up. There'll be responsibility catching balls, kicking, running it back from deep in his half, all things he is very good at. I don't have to do too much, just give him the ball and he'll do the rest. Iron-bodied Boks flanker Francois Louw wants to gets his mits on Cooper. "Hopefully I can catch him," Louw said. He's very elusive and you can't rush him or he'll use his feet or the off-load. If you do get hold of him you make sure of it. Up front, prop Sekope Kepu has leapfrogged Ben Alexander while Queensland's Pilecki Medallist backrower Jake Schatz is in line for a Test debut off the bench.