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Michael Cheika has plenty of tweaks left to make

30th September, 2016
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Michael Cheika and Stephen Moore will not win the grand slam this time around.
Expert
30th September, 2016
21
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After tomorrow morning’s clash with the Springboks at Loftus and next week’s meeting with the Pumas at Twickenham, Michael Cheika’s Wallabies will end the calendar year with a golden schedule.

First up the All Blacks then the Grand Slam tour plus France – it doesn’t get any bigger than that.

October 22 – All Blacks at Eden Park.
November 5 – Wales at Millennium.
November 12 – Scotland at Murrayfield.
November 19 – France at Stade de France.
November 26 – Ireland at Aviva
December 3 – England at Twickenham.

But first things first.

The Boks and Pumas games will be the last chance for the out-of-form Wallabies to lift.

Those on the edge of being dropped: skipper Stephen Moore, Allan Ala’alatoa, Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons. Nick Phipps. Bernard Foley, and Tevita Kuridrani.

Moore may yet be saved irrespective with Tatafa Polota-Nau’s broken arm, but that shouldn’t mean an automatic start for the skipper.

David Pocock, Rob Horne, and Ben McCalman are others on the injured list.

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Given the Wallabies haven’t won at Eden Park since 1986, and only won one Grand Slam in 1984 when Alan Jones was coach, Cheika has the chance to set new and meaningful benchmarks.

When he took over in November 2014, Cheika had two major goals – having the Wallabies play running rugby like Randwick – Cheika was a Galloping Green – and have depth across the board.

The running rugby is close, the depth a little further away, but in sight.

Judging by the 23 Tests Cheika has selected since he’s been at the helm, only eight are automatic selections for Eden Park:

1 – Scott Sio
2 –
3 – Sekope Kepu
4 –
5 –
6 –
7 – Michael Hooper
8 –
9 – Will Genia
10 –
11 – Reece Hodge
12 –
13 – Samu Kerevi
14 – Dane Haylett-Petty
15 – Israel Folau.

The hooking position will depend on when Polota-Nau returns, but at the moment it’s between Moore, James Hanson, and the new boy on the block, Tolu Latu.

The lock positions are the most intriguing. Is Cheika unsure of his best starting pair, or has he been experimenting?

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His track record in selecting locks this is as follows:

England: Simmons and Rory Arnold with James Horwill on the bench.
England: Sam Carter and Arnold – Mumm
England: Will Skelton and Simmons Adam Coleman
All Blacks: Simmons and Kane Douglas – Mumm
All Blacks: Douglas and Coleman – Mumm
Boks: Douglas and Coleman – Arnold
Pumas: Simmons and Coleman – Arnold
Tomorrow: Simmons and Coleman – Douglas

So eight locks have been used with Simmons the most selected with five run-on appearances. He’s followed by Coleman (4 run-on/1 bench), Douglas (3/1), Arnold (2/2), Carter (1/0), Skelton (1/0).Mumm (0/3), and Horwill (0/1).

Somehow I don’t think Simmons and Coleman will be the designated pair once the big six games kick in.

More like Douglas and Coleman, with Arnold on the bench.

Depending on injuries, Scott Fardy should be at six and Sean McMahon eight.

Unless Sefa Naivalu gets a run to prove himself, forcing Hodge to take Foley’s place as inside centre and goal-kicker, the backs will remain pretty constant.

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Come what may on the selection table, those big six games will clearly define where Michael Cheika’s Wallabies rank in world rugby.

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