Matt Cooper has failed to find love despite his best efforts to find something meaningful on Channel Seven’s First Dates.
The former NSW and Kangaroos star kicked off the new season of the fan-favourite show, where he opened up about his kids and the breakdown of his marriage.
But his first date got off to a tricky start as he and his date Sheree shared an awkward first interaction.
Cooper attempted to give his date a kiss on the cheek before she pulled away slightly. ‘That wasn’t awkward, sorry,’ she says, laughing off the uncomfortable exchange.
And in truth, the date never really got off the ground from there, the pair enjoyed some nice conversation at the dinner table.
Cooper expressed some happiness that she had no idea who he actually was after they exchanged what they did for a living.
Matt Cooper failed to find love on Channel Seven’s First Dates
Their date was crashed by the waiter who was clearly a massive fan of Matt Cooper
In fact the pair seemed to enjoy each other’s company more than Matt did with his date Sheree as he showed off his Premiership winners ring
At the end of the date, the waiter asked Matt for a picture, for which he duly obliged
‘I don’t really watch a lot of sport,’ Sheree said in her piece to camera after finding out her date had played in the NRL.
‘Clearly, I was unaware he was an NRL player,’ she followed up while laughing.
Cooper then said, ‘I was really excited about the date with Sheree, she didn’t know who I was.
‘She didn’t know what I did, it was more just getting to know me really that was great.’
Just as he walked into the building the First Dates waiter instantly recognised Cooper and was clearly starstruck as he turned to colleagues and said ‘that’s Matty Cooper’ excitedly.
And when he delivered the oysters to the table for the pair who were enjoying his company, his excitement got the better of him.
‘You were voted the NRL’s sexiest player,’ he said as he put the food on the table for the pair.
Cooper was quick to remind everyone at the table it was twice, as he joked ‘that’s better than once.’
Sheree then joked was going to go Google as she didn’t initially believe that was the case.
After more than two decades with his former wife, Cooper hopes Aussie First Dates delivers a genuine second chance at love
The former Dragons star admits he wants someone to love him for being ‘just the dad’ above everything else
The waiter then added, ‘That 2010 Premiership game, that was impressive’ prompting Cooper to show off his championship ring.
The waiter then turned to Cooper’s date asking if she was a Dragons supporter, to which she responded ‘I am today.’
That may have been a cue for him to leave but he decided to stick around and continue his conversation at the table as everyone laughed.
He told Cooper, ‘Look if the date doesn’t work out then I can always slot in.’
Away from the table the former Premiership winner called the waiter the ‘date crasher,’ adding that he ‘felt bad’ for Sheree, though it was all in good nature.
Cooper’s interactions with the waiter impressed his date though, with Sheree adding ‘Him being so humble was nice, knowing he has had a successful football career.’
Back at the table she joked with Cooper that the waiter ‘had a man crush’ on the 47-year-old.
There was one more chance for the waiter to steal the spotlight as the date came to the end.
He asked Cooper for a picture and after a brief pause, Cooper duly obliged as the two had a photoshoot, taken by Sheree.
Despite the pair getting along, they decided against seeing each other again, citing a lack of chemistry between the pair.
Speaking of the date, Cooper after an awkward silence said, ‘We had a good time, a good chat.
‘Yeah really cool… I had a really good time, it was great you didn’t know who I was and it was great to talk to someone who is in the same situation.
‘But I don’t think there was the chemistry there, I think the waiter had all the chemistry, he stole it all,’ he laughed.
To which his date agreed as the two enjoyed a warm hug before going their separate ways.
