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Wallaby flanker Dean Mumm is blessed, he’s again in the starting line-up to meet the Boks early Sunday morning at Loftus Versfeld.
Consistently one of the poorer performers in the pack, there’s no point in him buying a lotto ticket, he’s used all his good luck to continue wearing the No.6 jumper.
Seeking a third successive win after six losses on the bounce, Wallaby coach Michael Cheika has made changes to the last squad that beat the Boka 23-17 at Suncorp on September 10.
Reds lock Rob Simmons replaces Kane Douglas who moves to the bench, and Sean McMahon replaces the injured David Pocock at No 8.
For some unfathomable reason, Cheika is again playing pointless games of a nine-man bench with one to be omitted.
This is not a cricket Test, waiting to see the state of the wicket.
Hooker James Hanson has at last been recalled to the bench to replace Tatafa Polota-Nau who has a broken arm, prop Tom Robertson takes over from Allan Ala’alatoa, lock Rory Arnold makes way for Douglas, and Scott Fardy is back in favour.
Flying Fijian winger Sefa Naivalu is set for his first cap, if he’s not the one to be omitted.
It all depends on whether Cheika decides on a 6-2 bench, or a 5-3.
If it’s 6-2, either Naivalu or Tevita Kuridrani will watch from the stand. If it’s a 5-3 decision, either Fardy or Lopeti Timani will be stand-side,
Repeat – pointless games, fooling nobody.
One really positive decision is the starting backline has been retained, but the pack could so easily been strengthened.
Leaving Mumm out altogether, and selecting Fardy at six, would not only form a far more powerful backrow, but solved the bench games in one hit.
The squad
1 – Scott Sio.
2 – Stephen Moore (c)
3 – Sekope Kepu
4 – Adam Coleman
5 – Rob Simmons
6 – Dean Mumm
7 – Michael Hooper
8 – Sean McMahon
9 – Will Genia
10 – Quade Cooper
11 – Reece Hodge
12 – Bernard Foley
13 – Samu Kerevi
14 – Dane Haylett-Petty
15 – Israel Folau
Bench:
James Hanson
James Slipper
Tom Robertson
Kane Douglas
Scott Fardy
Nick Phipps
Tevita Kuridrani
Sefa Naivalu
Referee – Wayne Barnes (England)