MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper's hopes of acquiring Australian citizenship are finally set to be realised after a tweak to eligibility rules for "most talented prospective" applicants.

New Zealand-born Cooper moved to Australia as an early teen and has earned 71 test caps with the Wallabies but his citizenship applications have been repeatedly declined.

His starring role in the Wallabies' 28-26 win over world champions South Africa on Sunday triggered calls on social media for the government to give the 33-year-old citizenship.