Cooper at his best when he's under pressure, says McKenzie Quade Cooper makes a line break at Murrayfield at the weekend. There is a simple reason Quade Cooper was given the vice-captaincy and the goal-kicking duties within two months of reclaiming the No.10 jersey. Ewen McKenzie worked out that the more pressure he heaped on Cooper's shoulders, the better the five-eighth would respond. "I worked out early on that the more responsibility I gave him, the better he played - simple as that," McKenzie said. A lot of people wouldn't think that but he actually likes the responsibility of running the game plan, he likes the responsibility of doing things. If you actually back him, he'll return the favour. The theory is panning out well so far. Cooper's gradual return to form and confidence, plus his burgeoning partnership with fullback Israel Folau, have led to a low-key buzz starting up around the Wallabies. When there has been a try in the past few Tests, more often than not Cooper has set it up. Against Scotland on Saturday, he contributed two try assists. Against Ireland the week before, he scored one of his own - his first since returning to the Wallabies. Both fullback Folau and inside centre Matt Toomua were growing nicely into their combinations with the Wallabies No.10. Toomua, whose season ended last week with a small hamstring tear, said he was just getting comfortable with what Cooper was expecting from him. It was an important development in the Australian back line, although McKenzie maintains the Queensland playmaker is not as mercurial as many believe. "Quade's not as complicated as what everyone thinks - he's pretty straight up and down," the Wallabies coach said. As a player, because he has got great vision, he might be a few steps ahead of everyone at times, so the more you play with him the more you get to know and understand that. That's just a time thing. He'll be frustrated because he knows what he's going to do and create an opportunity or a hole for someone and if the person doesn't run into the hole he'll get a bit frustrated because he can see it but they can't. Folau and Cooper have teamed up superbly on tour this month to cause pleasing levels of chaos in opposition defensive structures. "He'll mentor, coach players around him to help them find that hole next time because he'll explain it," McKenzie said. I watch him train every day and if a player is out of position, if there's 10 players over there and someone is not there, he knows straight away, well before anyone else, even before I know. He's just got great vision and so it's been really interesting and I've enjoyed that process. And, by giving him that responsibility, I've worked out he actually laps all that up so it's worked out really well. Wales coach Warren Gatland could surprise by selecting Dan Biggar over Rhys Priestland at five-eighth this weekend, after Biggar impressed against Argentina. Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies, the midfield pairing that triumphed over Australia in the Lions decider, are both out injured. But Lions guns Leigh Halfpenny and George North are certain to look for more Wallabies blood from fullback and wing, respectively. Halfpenny kicked at 100 per cent against Tonga on the weekend. Total votes: 3191. Poll closes in 4 days.