Nobody could accuse Michael Cheika of being predictable. The Wallaby coach has turned his team upside down and inside out as they prepare to head across the Tasman to contest the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park.
Just as it seemed the Australians had cracked part of the code to beating New Zealand, Cheika has added a new script, making six changes to his starting side and returning some of his best players, like David Pocock, to a bench that admittedly looks stacked.
Bernard Foley paid the price for a demure showing in Sydney and has been replaced by Quade Cooper, with the move being interpreted as a gamble on both sides of the Tasman given the playmaker’s unflattering record against the nation of his birth.
Nic White moves to halfback after closing the show brilliantly last weekend while Will Skelton starts in place of Dean Mumm, joining the revitalised James Horwill in the tight five.
Matt Toomua shifts to 12, replacing Matt Giteau (bench) while Wycliff Palu will be thrown in the deep end at number eight in his first Test appearance of the season. In other changes, Henry Speight replaces Drew Mitchell on the wing and Kane Douglas, back in Australian, rugby, adds beef at lock from the bench.
There’s an element of World Cup study to this side but Cheika clearly believes they can get the job done. If anything, it will present an entirely new prospect for the All Blacks during a week of soul-searching for the world champions.
“Wycliff, Henry and Kane have all worked hard for this opportunity and have brought a lot of energy to the group this week,” Cheika said.
Pocock will play his 50th Test and has been an absolute powerhouse for the Wallabies throughout The Rugby Championship.
“He has been one of our best players this season, and the respect he commands from his teammates and peers is a testament to the way he approaches the game,” Cheika said.
“He knows that he will play a pivotal part in closing the match on Saturday night, and I expect he will put in a performance that all of Australia will be proud of.”
The official Wallaby release didn’t contain any quotes about the re-appointment of Cooper, which will be the talking point right up until kick-off. Cheika will be hoping his number 10 finally does his talking on the field against a foe that has been a poisoned chalice time and again.
Wallabies: Scott Sio, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, James Horwill, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Henry Speight, Matt Toomua, Tevita Kuridrani, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau. Finishers Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Kane Douglas, David Pocock, Matt Giteau, Kurtley Beale.
