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Eddie Jones and Michael Cheika are kindred spirits, both have thick myrtle green blood flowing through their veins, the best attacking blood in world rugby.
There’s a decade between them in age difference – Jones (59), Cheika (49) – they both won Shute Shield premiership as players a decade apart, and coached Randwick to premiership honours a decade apart.
But come June, they will be head-to-head – Jones coaching England, Cheika the Wallabies – clashing at Suncorp on June 11, AAMI Stadium in Melbourne June 18, and Allianz Stadium July 25.
Jones is a cheeky bugger, having already fired across Cheika’s bows with a Super Rugby is an ordinary tournament jibe.
Just how far was Jones’ tongue in cheek?
Jones is on a major high, having turned England’s fortunes from being the first host to miss qualifying for the Rugby World Cup quarters to capturing the Six Nations Grand Slam for the first time since England’s Rugby World Cup year of 2003.
By any standards, that was brilliant of Jones with virtually the same humiliated side of just months before.
Cheika’s in a very different boat, missing five key players from the Rugby World Cup final loss to the All Blacks.
He has Sekope Kepu, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, and Adam Ashley-Cooper playing overseas, with lock Kane Douglas still rehabbing after anterior cruciate surgery and not likely to be back in action until the last three Reds Super Rugby games.
That’s a mighty big hole.
If Cheika had to select his team to meet England from the Super Rugby starting lists this weekend, there would be six Brumbies, and six Waratahs, picking themselves – 12 of the 15.
The Brumbies – Scott Sio (1), Stephen Moore capt (2), Scott Fardy (6), David Pocock (8), Joe Tomane (11), and Tevita Kuridrani (13).
The Waratahs – Michael Hooper (7), Nick Phipps (9), Bernard Foley (10), Kurtley Beale (12), Rob Horne (14), and Israel Folau (15).
There’s no chance Cheika will give Folau a run at outside centre as the Waratahs have, because Cheika needs Kuridrani at 13 as much as Folau at 15.
Horne is a left-winger, but he’s capable of playing in the centres as well, so he can switch to the right wing.
That leaves a tight head prop and two locks to complete the Wallaby starting line-up.
James Slipper can be the 3, Rob Simmons the 5, with Will Skelton, Dean Mumm, Dave Dennis, Luke Jones, and Cadeyrn Neville battling for the 4 jersey and the bench.
Neville would be the bolter, but he’s long overdue for some recognition.
Cheika’s hardest job this year will be to keep Matt Hodgson, Liam Gill,and Sean McMahon happy without being able to select them unless there’s a spate of injuries to the backrow.
All three are openside flankers,and all three deserve Wallaby selection, but there’s simply no room, even on the bench.
That makes the Wallaby starting line-up look like this.
1 – Scott Sio
2 – Stephen Moore (c)
3 – James Slipper
4 – Will Skelton
5 – Rob Simmons
6 – Scott Fardy
7 – Michael Hooper
8 – David Pocock
9 – Nick Phipps
10 – Bernard Foley
11 – Joe Tomane
12 – Kurtley Beale
13 -Tevita Kuridrani
14 – Rob Horne
15 – Israel Folau
Prediction – when the Wallabies down England, there’s a good chance Michael Cheika will be the cheekiest bugger of them all.
He would have done it the hard way.