“The comment was made [that] it was on his edge, but then he pumped it another 15 metres,” Hooper said. “He let the club go on that one. It was really pleasing. [He is] a big game player and Quade stepped up and nailed it for us.

“I thought he was calm and making good decisions around game calling. He was a good person to call on to give us direction. A great story for him.”

The Wallabies played superbly to lead 22-14 in the 58th minute but conceded a try seconds after Folau Fainga’a went to the bin for a no arms tackle.

Then, back leading by four points, Australia conceded a rolling maul try in the 72nd minute as South Africa regained the lead before some Cooper brilliance at the death in front of 15,191 fans.

Australia’s thrilling victory was the most important of Dave Rennie’s Wallabies tenure and tangible evidence the team is heading in the right direction.

The World No.1 Springboks, who won a World Cup two years ago and came to Australia with a famous British and Irish Lions series victory under their belt, were tenacious yet seriously tested.

This Test was always going to be about Cooper after the boldest Wallabies selection in a decade.

The adage that experience cannot be bought applied in every way to Cooper, whose calming influence was a huge bonus for a Wallabies team coming off three All Blacks defeats.

“We didn’t think it was a risk,” said Rennie of the Cooper selection. “He was close to starting the week before. He’s been fantastic since he’s come in. I thought he was massive tonight.

“His confidence and experience made a difference. We had to be prepared to kick them a bit of ball back. He had a big part to play in that. I thought he was excellent and implemented things well. Credit to him. Against the world champions, it was a hell of an effort.”

The 33-year-old, after 1541 days without a Test to his name, never looked flustered and importantly, kept the scoreboard ticking over just as the South Africans pride themselves on doing to others.

His performance certainly warranted the lifeline thrown his way by Rennie, who admitted he could make it to another World Cup.

“Of course he could,” Rennie said. “We’re not thinking too far ahead at this stage and neither is he. He was excited to get an opportunity and delivered big time.”

With Australia up 19-11 at half-time, Cooper was animated. He delivered advice to teammates in the sheds, almost in a coach-like manner, desperate to make sure plans were in place to build on an auspicious first 40 minutes.

There were other sub-plots in this gripping Test match, notably that of Angus Bell’s first start at Test level.

Bell, the 20-year-old, went to ground in his first scrum but was part of the front row that won a critical penalty just before half-time, with the Springboks camped on their line, to put Australia ahead by eight points.

Hooper was immense, Samu Kerevi showed his class, while every Australian forward put in a huge shift.

“You play a side like that, you’ve got to dig deep,” Rennie said. “I thought our work ethic was outstanding.”

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Cooper got his first touch after 32 seconds, defending at the back. He then had a couple more in the seventh minute to work into a rhythm.

He nailed two early penalty attempts - plus a deft chip kick out of the blue - to keep Australia level at 6-6 after 14 minutes.

“We got down to their zone and took points. We built a score there today,” Hooper said. “It came down to the wire. I think we have a lot more in us. When we go into next week it’s going to be a level up again.”

Springboks captain Siya Kolisi found himself lucky not to be red-carded for a dangerous lift on Tom Banks, yet the Wallabies made the most of the player advantage when Andrew Kellaway sliced through for his fourth Test try in the 17th minute.

Kellaway’s ability to finish tries has been phenomenal this year but his five-pointer couldn’t have come to fruition without a ball out the back from Cooper and classy step and left-to-right loopy pass from Kerevi.

Just as Kolisi came back on, Australia lost Matt Philip for 10 minutes and conceded a try moments later to a driving maul.

Nic White pulled off Test rugby’s first 50-22 kick, but the Springboks refused to go away in a violent second half that will be remembered for Cooper’s magical kick at the death, which came to be because of a turnover penalty that White won on the ground when it mattered most.

The result might even be enough for Cooper to be awarded Australian citizenship.