QUADE Cooper remains in doubt for Saturday’s match against France, with the Wallabies five-eighth needing to come through a fitness test on game-day to play.

It’s understood Cooper will have the fitness test on his injured ankle hours before kick-off, and will be given until the 11th hour to pull through to start against Les Bleus in Paris.

Cooper injured his ankle earlier this week and has been unable to train but Wallabies coach Michael Cheika expects him to line up.

“He was injured on Tuesday in some training, we don’t do a lot today so he just wanted to get a little bit of a run out, we want to get the swelling down a bit but he’ll be fine,” Cheika said.

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Wallabies starting five-eighth Quade Cooper is under an injury cloud. Source: Getty Images

“We’re playing Test match number 12 this year after Quade played in Europe, no one is in shape, everyone is playing with some injury.

“It’s about toughening it out and going out there and doing it.

“[Bernard] Foley for example, played in the World Cup, played in Japan, played Super Rugby and now he’s here.

“You have to play injured, that’s the way it is. I’m sure in the French team it’s the same.

“I also want Quade to have another chance at No.10 and have a look at him there.”

However, Cooper’s inability to train at the team’s final session at Stade de France on Friday morning raised serious doubts about his fitness to be ready for the Test.

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Cheika said.

Bernard Foley could come back into the starting side. Source: Getty Images

“Players can get themselves through. We have good medical staff, they work hard with the guys, they make decisions when players train and when they don’t train based on what we think is going to be best for them.

“He’s got the work under his belt now, he knows the moves, he know the plays.

“We don’t do very much on a Friday, it’s more about putting your head in the space on the ground and I’m sure he’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

Cooper has been named to start at No.10, with regular five-eighth Foley on the bench.

If Cooper was to be ruled out at the last minute, Foley would likely start, and rookie Jono Lance could possibly be handed a debut off the bench.