The Reds finished a season of redemption fifth, though not before they survived a ferocious second half onslaught by a Highlanders side that responded superbly after copping a fearful spray by head coach Glenn Moore during the halftime break at Suncorp Stadium.
The Reds appeared to be assured of their highest placing since 2002 when leading 24-3 -- on the back of some mesmerising play by first five-eighth Cooper.
But the concession of 26 unanswered points -- a four-try burst that included a scintillating double to wing Fetu'u Vainikolo -- poked New Zealand's worst performing franchise in front 36-31 with nine minutes to play.
However, the Highlanders were unable to prevent replacement loose forward Poutasi Luafutu powering over at the back of a rolling maul to leave Cooper with a difficult conversion to break the deadlock in the 78th minute.
Cooper coolly slotted the extras but there was one last anxious moment for the Reds, who watched nervously as Israel Dagg's ambitious 55-metre penalty attempt fell short to signal the end of a pulsating final round clash with nothing but pride at stake.
The Reds season was effectively over when they squandered a 21-8 lead in Wellington last week but when the Highlanders -- who finished 12th -- mounted a Hurricanes-like recovery a depleted home side managed to conjure up one last scoring play to delight a crowd of more than 26,000 stunned into silence by the visitors five-try second half.
The dangerous Dagg started the comeback with a clever chip and chase in the 42nd minutes, prop Chris King burrowed over in the 53rd and then the Reds started to wobble when a rare blemish by Cooper was eventually punished by Vainikolo.
A risky restart away from his forwards was snapped up by Ben Smith and when the ball was spread left Vainikolo nabbed it from the base of a ruck and beat three defenders from 10-metres out.
Dagg's conversion cut the deficit to two and Vainikolo promptly added his second when skipping through a fractured defensive alignment.
Luafutu stemmed the tide thanks to a pinpoint pass by Cooper to put the Reds in front 31-29 but when hooker Jason Rutledge placed the ball on a goalpost pad at the end of another Highlanders raid an upset seemed imminent.
Instead the Reds swept down field and set up the killer maul for Luafutu to take the acclaim -- even if the irrepressible Cooper proved the point of difference between the sides.
Cooper secured the bonus point with the Reds fourth try in the 34th minute and played a leading role in three others as the first five-eighth bamboozled the Highlanders defensive screen with audacious passes or jinking footwork.
The playmaker made his presence felt immediately when his inside ball to Peter Hynes set Will Chambers on an angled run to the corner before he unselfishly put Digby Ioane across in the 42nd second.
A Cooper cut out pass for Radike Samo set up the Reds second when the lock loomed in the centres to steamroll over Vainikolo in the 11th minute.
Naturally the maverick Cooper also played the decisive hand in Hynes' simple finish in the 18th when he drew two defenders before flicking a cheeky reverse pass, when off balance, straight to the wing's chest.
The Reds enjoyed 71 percent possession after the opening quarter and although fullback Ben Lucas was denied when somehow held up by Smith, barely a minute later Cooper's footwork left Jason Shoemark stranded before he rolled the ball on to the line in Adam Thomson's tackle.
There was only one spiteful incident to mar an entertaining spectacle. Reds lock Van Humphries was yellow carded by New Zealand referee Steve Walsh in the 36th minute after taking exception to Jimmy Cowan's reaction at a ruck.
Humphries punched the All Blacks halfback and in the ensuing melee Vainikolo was pursued by three opponents after landing unpunished uppercuts. Humphries claimed he was eye gouged though replays suggested Cowan grabbed at his head gear.
