Cheika finalises Wallabies side, announces bench for Italy clash

Hey Timbo I'm a little surprised re Reid. He has been playing terribly this year. So many errors and silly penalties. I expected him to just get better like he had been the past 2 seasons. I don't know what happened this year.

Nothing unusual apparently from Cheika. I've heard it before from within the camp, it's his way or the highway. Whilst he has the perogative as coach, why have an assistant if you do not value their input or at least inform them what's going on.

What did Higgers do wrong? By my calcs he made the most run meters in tight of any player. and those meters were very hard to come by.

My statement is more about long term select ability. Jordy Read is out at the moment as well but assuming he overcomes his injuries and puts in some stellar performances in the last few SR games and in the NRC, he has absolutely no chance of being considered for a yellow jersey.

Sorry, Lukan Tui

Cooper saved Robbie Deans' blushes on his debut. Italy were going toe to toe with the WBs and a genuine chance of getting their way to a first ever win over the WBs until Cooper (subbed on at inside centre) scored a great solo try (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyug0B_8BCU) Little risk of Italy upsetting the apple cart this time out. They were beaten by Fiji last week-end. I would be interested to see the ARU reaction if by some miracle Italy did snag a win.

Moore shouldn't be anywhere near a Wallaby jersey.

Not injured, and form winger in sr this year

It's a reasonable point about the RWC. But it still didn't stop Cheika shoehorning an inexperienced Skelton in. He was a player that compromised the line out but wasn't a first choice selection so really offered no back up as a squad member. The player who really most typifies it was Luke Jones. Despite having the size and athletic ability to play 5, 6 and 8, Cheika had absolutely no interest in him as a player. Despite him showing all the very same qualities we assume that he likes in players like Dempsey, with the addition of the size and capability to fit into the 2nd row if needed and great Super Rugby form dating back to 2012. Couldn't find a spot in the RWC for him or Coleman, but could for both Mumm and Skelton. I can understand Palu for the RWC due to his experience. But Mumm is a player who was just there, and never shone at test level during his career. This is that circular logic I talk of where past poor selection became justification for his 2015 selection. I honestly see what is like about Skelton. But what he does, he cannot do to an extent that it makes up for what he lacks in the traditional roles.

Nah, after seeing them both after the Scotland game there is very little between Higgs an Hanigan. Higgs a little bigger but Hanigan is no weed.

This muppet of a coach has lost me. He obviously has blatant bias for his Tah boys, The Wallaby jersey shouldn't be cheapened as s training run got unproven youngsters. Earn your jersey, show some pride. No wonder the fans have turned off in droves, there's just little point anymore. For the first time since I started following rugby I hope they lose, something needs to be done to spark the revolution.

Hi Clifto,apart from a couple of Earth-shattering tackles I can definitely state one try in the Fiji match can be put down to a beautiful Higger's bust and offload; H.Speight scored it. I can understand Higgers being dropped but how in the world did N.Hanigan keep his place? For mine, if you want to drop blokes and look at alternatives then its Hanigan out first and then think of Higginbothem. But yes, long term you would take N.Hanigan but let the bloke gain some experience and put on some kg and mongrel before he dons the Green and Gold again.

I pretty much agree. If he picked this team with only Foley and Cooper swapped I'd consider it close to our best available team (barring exceptions like Hardwick over Hooper).

Fair comments up to a point TWAS, but in the context of his first year in charge and a RWC to consider I think there is a big difference between what he can do now as opposed to in 2015.

Very nice team Jeznez, the best WB team I have seen for this week's match. Should bang it on Facebook and address it to M.Cheika. Its not too late, he can always cite training injuries. :)

Dammit CP, I now have to book into my local GP for a checkup. I absolutely agree with everything in your post. :)

G'day Paul, I sorta agree with you but took my figures off the Tahs' website. I can't really remember J.Dempsey and N.Hanigan standing side by side but Hanigan looks an absolute midget next to S.Higginbothem who is also listed at 110kg. Perhaps Ned Hanigan thought the Tahs were selected in weight divisions. When I played the 8 stone 7's (now 54 kg) for school (yes I know! Dinosaurs ruled the Earth those days), I put a large rock in each pocket of my shorts so I went over 7st7lb. :)

Funny you don't ask the same questions of Hanigan. Who did less, was less effective and is an unproven performer even at Super Rugby level.

yep especially when you remember how brumbies smashes the tahs in the set piece and won the game easily

Dempsey is certainly not a bad player. But he's basically another McMahon who lacks the size for international level outside 7. McMahon is somebody that you fit into the team. Like Pocock. We don't need to develop ANOTHER player best suited to 7 to fit into the team. That's a role players need to basically force their way into. Then there's the fact that as an uncapped player who has missed over 8 weeks of Super Rugby he's been given a rails run into the team by Cheika. He should have been completely disregarded from discussions as an unproven, uncapped player who was not playing. There's players who have had to plug away, playing well, for seasons to get a Wallaby cap and Dempsey has just been handed one in his 2nd season as a Super Rugby player despite not playing a game since Round 4. Consider Cheika's unwillingness to look at Kerevi who was breaking games open back to late 2014 in a struggling team. Likewise Coleman who was disregarded until 2016 despite being the best performing lock back in 2015.