THE twist in Quade Cooper's imminent departure from Australian rugby is that it isn't just the ARU who've propped open the door, it is one of his best mates as well.

It would pain Kurtley Beale to know he's unwittingly played a role in Cooper walking away but the success of the Rebels playmaker in the Wallaby No.10 jersey in recent months has undoubtedly been a big factor in recent developments.

Forget talk of vindictiveness for the "toxic environment" slurs being behind Cooper's much-reduced offer.

The behaviour element was no doubt background music, but it would seem the reason is not that the ARU don't want Cooper - they just don't need him as much anymore.

Make no mistake, if Cooper was still the best playmaker in Australia, differences would have been sorted and he'd have a big, fat contract on his desk. But, right now, he'd struggle to be in the top three, and so he doesn't.

Cooper had been Robbie Deans' golden-child much of the last five years; his attacking eccentricities backed and supported, and his defensive frailties compensated for. Even in the losses.

The payoff was to come for the Wallabies at the World Cup; and it didn't. Cooper struggled mentally. Australia's tournament fizzed.

And the impact of a blown knee for Cooper in the bronze medal match continues to be felt for the Tokoroa Twitterer.

James O'Connor subsequently toured with the Wallabies to Europe as a No.10, and excelled. With Cooper having only recently returned from injury in Super Rugby - and O'Connor injured - Berrick Barnes starred at five-eighth in a whitewash of Wales in June.

Still then, however, Cooper was given another shot against New Zealand and Argentina; but in the first he was anonymous and in the second, error-prone and close to being hooked.

Though Deans admitting as much was one of the few times he'd criticised him, Cooper was insulted and his hurt feelings snowballed into the week-long 'toxic' outburst a short while later.

That kerfuffle dominated headlines and saw contract negotiations suspended, but as far as Cooper's future was concerned, it was Beale's assumption of his no.10 jersey that same week that would prove more telling.

Beale played well in a beaten team against South Africa, and has improved in four Tests since. Exhibiting the mix of ball-playing, running and game management Cooper railed against, Beale has settled nicely into a role of responsibility.

It's not all been rosy, as seen in Paris. But composed wins over Argentina in Rosario, England at Twickenham and a draw with New Zealand all came on Beale's watch.

And here's where Cooper has lost out with the ARU.

If Cooper, as reported, has been judged outside the top 30 players by receiving an incentive-based contract offer - basically requiring him to play Tests to make money - it shouldn't actually come as a shock. Given the depth of playmakers now, Cooper is no longer required on the Wallabies' retainer, if you like.

Being out of the top 30 contracted players doesn't mean Cooper is not among the best 30 in Australia, just like being dropped doesn't mean you're not in the 15 best players.

It breaks down to positions, and the top 30 would only contain a handful of No.10s.

Beale, O'Connor and Barnes would now arguably be the first three Wallaby options to meet the British Lions in 2013, and plenty of people think Christian Lealiifano will be knocking on the door as well.

Throw in the fact Cooper still hasn't backed down from his wish to only play for Queensland - and not the Wallabies - and a new contracting system in which the ARU is forcing states to pay more so they pay less, and the financial "insult" to Cooper begins to make more sense.

Queensland will be hardest hit by his departure to boxing or Japan, particularly given Sam Lane has joined NSW.

They can't be totally surprised, however.

Reds officials defended Cooper's outburst as symptoms of passion for the game, and believed he had allies in the Wallabies.

He didn't. Indeed, many players he'd consider supporters were privately contacting ARU brass denouncing his view.

While gripes on game-style were semi-valid, Cooper lost most of the Wallabies squad with the "toxic" line and, most of all, saying he would turn down Wallabies jerseys until things changed to his liking.

The timing of the outburst - just before a Wallabies Test in Pretoria - was seen as selfish, and not in line with a team-first ethos.

A few days later Beale on the high-veldt busted his butt in a losing Wallaby team, and unwittingly opened a crack in the door.

Originally published as Why Quade lost out with the ARU