Quade Cooper has emerged as a potential midfield saviour for the Wallabies after leading the grand slam hopefuls to a morale-boosting 36-5 victory over English Premiership battlers Gloucester.

In a coming-of-age display, Cooper had a hand or boot in all five of Australia's five tries and also landed five goals from six attempts for a 16-point personal haul as the Wallabies kicked off their tour of the UK and Ireland in winning, if generally unspectacular, fashion at the Kingsholm ground.

While Wallabies selectors on Thursday are likely to name an unchanged backline for Saturday's Twickenham showdown with England, Cooper's performance gives coach Robbie Deans some badly-needed midfield reassurance following Berrick Barnes's tour-ending ankle injury.

In addition to confirming himself as Matt Giteau's five-eighth back-up, Cooper has also given Deans a viable option as a Berrick Barnes-type second playmaker alongside Giteau.

Cooper has had a reputation for being brilliant but prone to error but showed may be gaining consistency and the ability to control a game.

Deans was full of praise for the 21-year-old after he outpointed Gloucester's 34-year-old former All Black Carlos Spencer in an intriguing five-eighth duel.

"Obviously Quade did well. Defended well, kicked well for the greater part. Goal kicked well," Deans said.

"What this is, it's game time for him. He'll come out of this experience with a lot more belief in his own capabilities.

"He just grew in stature as the game went on. He defended consistently, which is what we've asked of him, but he also brought a bit of shape to the game.

"So if and when we do call on him, he'll be better for that."

Cooper is likely to remain on the bench on Saturday, with Ryan Cross cementing his position in the centres with a solid display.

The only player to start in the Wallabies' first two matches of the tour, Cross scored one try and featured in a couple more.

"He got a bit of ball, hit the line well, set up one try," Deans noted.

"He told me after the (Tokyo) Test that he wanted to play more because he feels he plays better when he gets into a bit of the groove, and that's the case with a lot of these blokes."

With a testing preparation, highlighted by an 11-hour flight from Tokyo to London on Sunday and then a three-hour bus trip to the south-west of England for Tuesday night's match, the Wallabies put in a mixed and, at times, haphazard performance.

As in Australia's Bledisloe Cup loss to New Zealand on Saturday, the Wallabies's dysfunctional lineout remained a major cause for concern.

Gloucester were hardly a major scalp, fielding an under-strength side and struggling in third-last position in the English Premiership with just two wins from nine games this season.

But a win's a win and the mid-week fixture at least presented Deans with an opportunity to blood some new talent.

Fullback Kurtley Beale, centre Tyrone Smith, flanker Mitchell Chapman, prop Salesi Ma'afu all made their debuts for the Wallabies.

Winger Drew Mitchell bagged a second-half hat-trick, but the highlight of the night - apart from Cooper's showing - was Cross's opening try, which came from a crossfield kick from Cooper.

The centre's five-pointer was a fitting reward for Cross's dedicated father Paul, who, at the cost of hundreds of pounds, took a two-hour cab ride from London to the south-west of England to watch his son play.

The match was played 101 years after the Gloucester club hosted Australia's first-ever travelling national rugby team - initially dubbed the "Rabbits" before finishing the tour as the Wallabies.

Australia won that historic encounter 16-0 before the trailblazing Wallabies further etched their names into Australian sporting folklore by winning, during the tour, the Olympic gold medal for rugby at the 1908 London Games.