Wales name team to face Wallabies

He looked a bit under done on the weekend, granted he didn't get a lot of ball and was opposite Cummins, but I still don't think he performed as well as I (any many others) had hoped. For all intensive purposes he is still untried at test level and with a couple of other debutants in the team it might be best he wait another week or two until getting a shot.

Henry Speight is the best winger we have! Where is he!!!!

So Cheika is definitely after the bench to make a huge impact. Carter, McMahon and McCalman all probably told to go hell-for-leather for 50/60 minutes then Skelton, Hodgson and Horwill replace them. Glad to see McMahon get the #6, he had a blinder last week and doesn't seem the type to be phased by pressure. Worth remembering he was the youngest player to ever represent Australia at 7s so he's been in the big stage, albeit not THIS big for quite I while. He tore it up in his S15 debut too. As for extended bench, the player I can see getting dropped is Cooper but on the chance Cheika decides to go with a 6-2 split I imagine it's Skelton. I don't mind the team but I would have preferred Faulkner to take The Hinge's spot.

Looks like Cheika is giving everyone a shot. I doubt this will be his "settled" team. Looks like as good a line up as we could have in the forwards. I can't see McMahon or Toomua dropped from the extended squad based on current performance. I suspect Cheika is trying new blood. Likewise, to me it looks like Tomane is getting a chance to make an impact, I was surprised to see him on in favour of Rob Horne. I think Tomane has the potential to be much better than Horne, but unless it actually happens on the field, you'd have to give the nod to Horne. Out there prediction is Ben Alexander to totes rekt the Wales LH and find the form he had two years ago. (if anyone quotes me on this after the game I'll probably claim it's an internet conspiracy or an attempt by the Waratahs illuminati to discredit my incisive incitefullness (see wot I did there?) of international rugby. In closing I would like to conclude, go Wallabies!

I don't see why Hodgson wouldn't start over McMahon. A lot of pressure on a young bloke in a very big game.

SMH has the team up: Wallabies: 1. James Slipper, 2. Saia Faingaa, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Sam Carter, 5. Rob Simmons, 6. Sean McMahon, 7. Michael Hooper, 8. Ben McCalman, 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Bernard Foley, 11. Joseph Tomane, 12. Christian Lealiifano, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 15. Israel Folau. Reserves: James Hanson, Tetera Faulkner, Ben Alexander, James Horwill, Will Skelton, Matt Hodgson, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Rob Horne (one to be omitted).

I expect he is still working through my suggestions. He's a smart guy.

If that pack stands up we will flog them. A lazy 10 points and in cruise control from some way out :)

When's the Aussie team get announced? Very interested in seeing how Cheika goes with his picks for such a big test

Hooper will be out in the centres where he always is. It will be up to others to perform that task. Hoops doesn't do traditional No 7 stuff.

QC is obviously the man for the job.

Cause he'd have Alex Cuthbert running at him instead of Roberts. So much better!

CL has a pretty solid defensive game but as I've said before, Toomua knows how to put game changing hits on and he also knows how to hit a ruck pretty hard (all of the Brumbies tend to compete fairly well in that area). Maybe CL comes on when fatigue takes it's toll on the big fellas? Notice I've again avoided commentary on the forwards? Nothing to say really, except hope.

I'll go out on a limb and say that I think Foley has some more to be revealed. Why? He's a Waratah which means he should be underperforming on all but recent history (sorry had to say that for my own amusement). He performs consistently and well, nothing world shattering. But with several non Waratah's outside him, he might just find the difference gives him some reason to develop further. Also, while it might not be the "mongrel" that everyone is carrying on about, I vividly recall the sight of him and Phipps, absolutely exhausted at the end of the oh so close game against the AB's. The ability to give absolutely everything and keep going is more worthy than "mongrel" in my mind and while Foley may have missed that tackle the lead up to that try involved several Wallabies players and it is absolutely not reasonable to lay it at Foleys door. Keep Nic White in the mix off the bench too. He has very quick service and could make a big difference when Phipps/Genia runs out of puff, which will happen given the pace they need to be playing at. Getting to every breakdown with the odd sniping run is very difficult.

Huge centre pairing indeed, I wonder if Toomua gets the nod given his game is a bit more physcial than CL ? It's a very good Welsh team and will be tough to beat.

Big midfield... but it should be too out of the ordinary for Wallabies' players - wasn't that long ago that Fruen and SBW were paired at Super Rugby level and SBW is better than either North or Roberts.

Hooper needs to watch how Betsen stalked, harassed n man marked Wilkinson in the '02 Six Nation Test for inspiration.

Folau and Speight better get their positioning sorted because Halfpenny likes to kick and chase. With Norh and Roberts running through too, Folau better bring his A game. I imagine Toomua picks himself at 12. Speight and Horne on the wings. Phipps and Foley are pretty ordinary but they have been playing at 100% of their abilities. Front row is obvious. Carter and Simmons as locks. McC at 8 and our dopey captain at 7. Hodgson or McMahon at 6?? Horwill on the bench and Skelton wearing his blazer (unless Cheika wants a 6/2 bench). Genia, CLL and AAC on the pine too. QC not ready yet so he'll be wearing his blazer too. Fat Cat, Hinge and Finger rounding out the subs.

Yes Deans wanted Quade to defend in the front line. Many people made comments about Quade not defending in the front line and him having to be hidden. I remember a lot of QC fans saying it was just a tactic and he was a good defender. Trying to deflect the truth. I dont recall to many people saying he must defend in the front line or too many people saying Beale is a good defender. Beale can defend in the line but I wouldnt put him at 12.

Yeah, that problem that doesnt exist needs urgent attention. Fullbacks are tackling machines, they often attempt 1 per game. The reason they put players like Quade at fullback is because... Its not rocket science.