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Just when you thought Michael Cheika was in a pick-and-stick selection situation after beating the Springboks, lock Kane Douglas has been axed with backrower Lopeti Timani and winger Henry Speight on the bench for the Pumas’ clash in Perth on Saturday night.
Rob Simmons will lock in with Adam Coleman, Timani has to overcome one to be omitted from the nine-man bench, while Speight replaces Drew Mitchell on the bench.
Timani is the most interesting selection. He was also part of a nine-man bench against the Boks last week, but was the unlucky one left out come kick-off time.
That can’t happen this week, as the Argentinian pack is a far tougher proposition than that of South Africa.
The Pumas gave it to the All Blacks last weekend to be down 24-22 at the 50-minute mark but, in true All Black fashion, the men in black put the pedal to the metal to pile on four tries in 13 minutes to eventually win 57-22.
Let’s face it, the All Blacks are head and shoulders above to the rest of the rugby world, with England a clear second.
But there’s little difference between the Wallabies (ranked number three in the world), Springboks (four), Wales (five), Ireland (six), and the Pumas (seven).
In fact, the Pumas are better than seventh-placed ranking, but they need to add to their win column to prove it.
So far, in 21 games played in the Rugby Championship, the Pumas have only won two, downing the Wallabies 21-17 at Mendoza in 2014 and the Boks 26-24 this year at Salta.
They have scored 337 points since 2012, but given up 645 for a net deficit of 305, although they are a far better side than they where when they first started in the competition.
With the Jaguares playing in Suer Rugby for the first time this season with a draw pitting them against all five New Zealand franchises, Argentinians are getting regular competition against tough opposition, and it’s starting to show.
That’s what makes Cheika’s decision to dump Douglas so hard to understand, so too his continued support for flanker Dean Mumm and halfback Nick Phipps.
On the other side of the selection coin, the Pooper experiment notches up another Test, as does the 10-12 combination of Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley. Any thought of switching Israel Folau to the centres has been shelved – again.
There’s still no Kyle Godwin in the team, who has been in the 30-plus Wallaby squad for eight Tests but is yet to make the 23-man squad. He’s still invisible.
Wallabies team to play Argentina on Saturday
1. Scott Sio (21 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (108 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (69 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (63 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (3 Tests)
6. Dean Mumm (49 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (57 Tests)
8. David Pocock (59 Tests)
9. Will Genia (69 Tests)
10. Quade Cooper (60 Tests)
11. Reece Hodge (2 Tests)
12. Bernard Foley (33 Tests)
13. Samu Kerevi (4 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (6 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (44 Tests)Reserves (one to be omitted)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (67 Tests)
James Slipper (80 Tests)
Tom Robertson (0 Tests)
Rory Arnold (3 Tests)
Lopeti Timani* (0 Tests)
Sean McMahon (10 Tests)
Nick Phipps (44 Tests)
Tevita Kuridrani (37 Tests)
Henry Speight (5 Tests)