RUGBY WORLD CUP
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MICHAEL Cheika wants no surprises in Australia’s opening World Cup game, which is why he is fielding the ‘Pooper’ flanker combination against the dangerous Fiji.
Thewallabieswill start their renowned openside mix of captain Michael Hooper and David Pocock for the 25th time in tomorrow’s Test at the Sapporodome, in the only change to the starting Xvwho stunned the All Blacks in Perth last month.
Lukhan Salakaia-loto is demoted to the bench in a sour piece of news for the big blindside flanker on his 23rd birthday
Coach Cheika insisted it was a tight call but said 31-year-old Pocock, attending his third World Cup, brings the mature qualities that might be needed if things start turning pearshaped against a Fiji team stacked with attacking weapons.
“For the first game of the World Cup, I went for a little bit more experience, to be honest,” Cheika said.
“They’ve done this before, the two boys playing together. We’ve worked on the possibility of this kind of combination for the last couple of weeks and they’ve been working well together.”
Cheika said the selection was no reflection on SalakaiaLoto, the only player to have appeared in all 400 minutes of Australian Test action this year.
The Queensland Reds enforcer stood out in the 47-26 demolition of the world champions in Perth and his absence could place pressure on a Wallabies lineout that has been functioning well.
Cheika said while there were obvious differences between the two, the nod to Pocock wasn’t simply because of his breakdown prowess.
“Rest assured, these players. (Pocock and Hooper) aren’t selected just for their play on the ground,” Cheika said.said “There’s a lot of other facets to the game where they can contribute to the team, both in attack and defence. And from an experience point of view as well.”
The other contentious selection was the halves, where Nic White and Christian Lealiifano were again favoured over the 2015 World Cup pairing of Will Genia and Bernard Foley. Cheika said “the ability to create, in attack and defence” made the difference in another difficult call.
The Fijians have also made changes with coach John Mckee shifting explosive Semiradradra to the wing for the clash against the Wallabies.
The former rugby league star will start on the left wing, the same position where he was a five-season NRL sensation for Parramatta, scoring 82 tries in 94 games until 2017.
All of the 27-year-old’s Test rugby appearances have been at outside centre and he has been primarily used there at French club Bordeaux.
Mckee, who has gone close to naming his most experienced possible team, has made the switch to accommodate another French-based star, Waisea Nayacalevu, in the No.13 jersey.
While the Flying Fijians were well beaten by thewallabies when they last met in 2017, the world’s ninth-ranked team have since made strides, notching Test wins over Italy, Scotland and a first-ever defeat of
France in Paris last November.
“We have picked the best team we can to play Australia. The players won their places through their training and form,” Mckee said.
“We know Australia are a very good team and present a big challenge for us but, because of our preparation, I know that our team is mentally and physically ready for that challenge.”
Meanwhile, Cheika has laughed off the minimum expectations of his boss that the Wallabies reach theworld Cup final, saying he long ago set his sights higher.
Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle this week said anything other than a berth in the tournament final would fall short of the organisation’s target and most probably that of the public.
She said the bar had been set by reaching the 2015 decider and expected a similarly successful campaign.
“When your previous performance was a World Cup final, that is everyone’s expectation,” Castle said.
“We know that andwe know fans want to see the Wallabies turn up in the final. Thatwould be amazing.”
Cheika beamed when asked if Castle’s comments put unwanted pressure on him and his team.
The 52-year-old has long indicated he will stand down from his five-year head coach role if the sixth-ranked Wallabies aren’t crowned champions in Japan.
“You know that I’m coming here to win with our team. That’s it,” he said.
Cheika said the Wallabies had emerged from a miserable 2018 in prime shape physically and mentally to perform, having taken no short-cuts during a gruelling build-up period over the last month.
“They’ve put in so much work so far against a background of often pressure from off the field, not on it, and they’ve stood tall and worked hard through it,” he said.
“They’ve copped plenty and they’re ready for the battle.”