Pick-and-stick is not set in black
JAMIE PANDARAM HAVING picked the same starting XV in consecutive Tests for the first time in his international coaching career, Michael Cheika hinted that it’s unlikely this group that takes on Argentina will remain unchanged against the All Blacks in a fortnight.
Cheika has stuck with the starting side that earned a draw in Bloemfontein last week to run on against the Pumas here tomorrow, which, incredibly, is the first time he’s done so since taking charge of the Wallabies in late 2014.
But Cheika wasn’t declaring that his starting side is his preferred XV to take on New Zealand in the third Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane.
“Not necessarily, we’ve got a good group of about 30 here, there are a few at home that will come back and join us and I want to say that any of those players can change in at any time and compete with each other strongly,” Cheika said.
“Because we’re going to need more than 15 players if we’re going to be successful.
“The challenge is for players to know there’s a competitive environment.
“I think we’ve created a bit of depth and it’s up to them to perform every week when they cross the white line, be fully focused and perform to the level they expect of themselves and this team’s identity demands to continue to be selected.
“Obviously we’ll always change some players to give opportunities or maybe someone else is down.”
It’s no midway between the previous World Cup and the next, so much of Cheika’s plans around building depth and competition for spots has already occurred.
“I’m pleased with the group of players we’ve got, knowing that we’ve still got a few players to come back in,” Cheika said.
“If you look at this squad here, there’s no Dane HaylettPetty, there’s no Sefa Naivalu, there’s no Karmichael Hunt, there’s no David Pocock, there’s no James Slipper; there’s still a bunch of guys, and younger guys, to come through.”
If the Wallabies can win their sixth consecutive Test against Argentina and the All Blacks defeat South Africa in Cape Town, Australia will finish second in the Rugby Championship.
But the Pumas are desperate to notch their first win of the tournament and will attack Australia’s perceived weakness.
Cheika’s squad announcement means the three players who made their Test starting debuts last week, Marika Koroibete, Jack Dempsey and Izack Rodda, will retain their spots against the Pumas.