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Michael Cheika has named six changes to his starting Wallabies team from last week’s clash against the All Blacks, and it’s his bravest move yet.
Quade Cooper, Will Skelton, Matt Toomua, Henry Speight, Wycliff Palu and Nic White are the six changes to Australia’s run-on team, while Kane Douglas finds himself on the bench for the first time since his Irish stint.
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The bench follows a 6-2 split, with only Matt Giteau and Kurtley Beale covering the backline. Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley haven’t made this week’s cut.
The first of many interesting decisions, and possibly the most hotly discussed, is the inclusion of Quade Cooper at flyhalf. After a forgettable couple of games against South Africa and Argentina, many thought Cooper’s 2015 season was over in Wallabies colours.
Then came last week’s Bledisloe Cup opener, where Bernard Foley also played a shocker, being replaced by Matt Toomua not long after the 50-minute mark.
NiwdEyaJ wrote a great article, where he wrote “this often misunderstood creative genius necessitates the need for a second playmaker at No. 12 due to his elusive lack of play in the No. 10 channel”, referring to Bernard Foley as this “non-playmaking playmaker.”
While it was a comedic angle, it did raise some very valid points.
Bernard Foley is a great player, in my eyes. But Jay did raise a good point in the fact the Foley often needs a second playmaker outside him, leading to the prevalence of Foley/Toomua combination for much of last year’s international season.
Toomua is, in my eyes, a fantastic hybrid between a bruising, physical centre (such as Samu Kerevi) and a crafty, playmaking 12 (e.g, Matt Giteau).
For me, Toomua’s control of the game, physicality and straight forward running had him pinned as starting flyhalf or inside centre, with Matt Giteau either inside or outside him at 10 or 12. This would allow for a balance between playmaking and physicality that is so effective in world rugby (think Carter/Nonu).
Quade Cooper’s selection inside Matt Toomua for Saturday’s clash is a different sort of balance the Michael Cheika is betting on, but an effective one nonetheless.
After Australia’s win over South Africa a month ago, the Wallabies backline was criticised for moving far too laterally. Much of this criticism was angled and Cooper and Giteau. This wasn’t necessarily poor play from either, but rather just their style of play. The problem was, these styles were too similar.
When Matt Toomua came on to replace an injured Matt Giteau, it drastically shifted the game the Wallabies’ way through his straightening of the line.
Michael Cheika will look to emulate this on Saturday night, Cooper’s skill and passing game coupled with Tooma’s brutal running and vision.
It could be lethal.
Cheika is also looking for physicality up front, signalled by the inclusion of Wycliff Palu at 8 and Will Skelton at lock. Kane Douglas will intimidate off the bench. ‘Cheik’ doesn’t want forwards, he wants bulldozers.
Ma’a Nonu talked about New Zealand being “out-passioned” by Australia, and this is exactly what Michael Cheika is trying to replicate through his choice of an extremely physical pack.
He will likely let Skelton and Palu stamp their authority for 50 minutes, then bring on Douglas and Pocock to run riot on the Kiwi breakdown.
Cheika is keeping his opposition guessing each week, and this isn’t limited to the southern hemisphere sides. He undoubtedly has one eye on September, and he knows that it is harder to prepare for four or 5 possible starting XVs than one. England and Wales will have to learn quickly too, as they could be facing one of many Wallaby incarnations.
The All Blacks, too, would have been preparing for a similar side to last week’s. Cheika’s selection could have thrown a spanner in the works, as they now front up to a highly physical pack, not the mobile unit from Sydney.
A few weeks ago I wrote an article outlining how the Wallabies growing depth could win them the World Cup. Controversial as it was, Michael Cheika knows that depth is crucial throughout the seven-week marathon. His constant re-shuffling of teams tells us that much.
Cheika has shown he is keen to do things differently. The Australians’ humility and mentality that “the job isn’t even half done” was something we haven’t seen in years. In 2011, the Wallabies celebrated their Tri-Nations victory with passion, and went on to lose to Ireland in the pool stages in New Zealand in the semi-finals.
He’s shown bravery in these selections, retrospect in going back to selections that work, and foresight in building his depth.
The Bledisloe Cup is there for the taking, the Wallabies just have to break their Eden Park hoodoo first.
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.