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What would once have been considered a fairly straightforward match for the Wallabies is shaping up to be one of the Tests of the season.
Here are four reasons why everyone should be sure to watch the Wallabies take on Japan on Saturday.
Amanaki Mafi
Along with Leone Nakarawa Amanaki, Mafi is possibly my favourite player in the world right now. Playing in the struggling Melbourne Rebels this year Mafi personally made plenty of players – including plenty of Kiwi ones – look decidedly amateur by comparison.
The man is incredibly powerful, elusive, skilful and seems to possess a great rugby brain. He has the power to bust through defenders and accelerate away from the covering defenders, or else step through gaps or even put other players through holes through passes and offloads.
It was a common sight in Super Rugby for Mafi to be running at a seemingly set defensive line only to somehow create a 30-40m break.
While the Wallabies have to start overwhelming favourites be wary about what the Cherry Blossoms can accomplish if Mafi is given space.
Reece Hodge as fly half
I must admit that I am very sceptical of Reece Hodge as a fly half, especially with no Super Rugby minutes there this year.
That being said news broke last week that Dave Wessels approached Cheika to discuss the possibility of Hodge playing ten for the Rebels.
Wessels strikes me as a student of the game and an astute tactician, and if he sees Hodge as a possible ten then I figure Hodge must possess some talent and abilities in the position that I am yet to see.
It would be interesting to hear Larkham’s thoughts on the matter, but as long as he remains a part of the Wallabies set up it seems unlikely that we will manage to do so.
Hodge is a very powerful runner, has one of the biggest boots in world rugby and a strong defender. At the very least it will be exciting to see a ten capable of long kicking and defending in position. If he puts in a good passing performance and proves the doubters of his playmaking skills wrong could he put some pressure on Foley?
(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
Special K centre partnership
It is no secret that Samu Kerevi has been very out of form since Bledisloe 1.
it is also no secret that he was one of the best Australian players in the 2017 Super Rugby season.
Despite plenty of bluster to the contrary he is not a complete defensive liability at international level. He is definitely a tier above defenders such as Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley, for example. Nick Bishop wrote an excellent article dispelling the myth that the horrible defensive performance in Bledisloe 1 could be attributed to Kerevi.
That being said he does indeed have his issues in defence, especially around positioning at 13. I have always felt that he is a more natural 12 than 13 due to his good short-passing game and incredible power through contact.
I hope to see Kerevi making it over the advantage line every time, drawing in defenders and putting his other backs through holes.
The man is an attacking machine and if he has a good day may prove that he is the offensive weapon we need to break down northern hemisphere defences now that we no longer have the world class Israel Folau to perform that role.
This game should also tell us whether the Kerevi-Kuridrani centre partnership is too one-dimensional or whether it is workable with a second playmaker in Beale joining in from fullback.
(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Injury ravaged squad
This game is also exciting due to the number of injuries that have hit the squad.
In terms of locks Rory Arnold, Lukhan Tui and Izack Rodda are all out.
Bernard Foley as well as our backup ten is also injured.
Kerevi has had to be shifted to inside centre to cover for Hunt and Hodge being unavailable.
Jack Dempsey, our in-form blindside flanker is injured too.
Finally, Will Genia, who is currently the Wallabies’ star back along with Folau is injured also.
This match will be a real test of Wallaby depth. If the team can put in a strong performance then the fans will know that we are starting to develop the squad depth required to do well at the World Cup.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.