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Wallaby coach Michael Cheika goes into next Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash with the Pumas on the Gold Coast with a perfect record of six wins from as many attempts.
The last time the Pumas beat the Wallabies was October 2014 in Ewen McKenzie’s second last game as Wallaby coach, a month before Cheika took over.
But Saturday has a twist to it.
Cheika’s opposite number will be Mario Ledesma who was the Wallaby forwards coach from 2015 to last year, and he has inside knowledge into what makes Cheika tick.
The 45-year-old Ledesma, a world class hooker in his day with 84 Puma caps, has only been at the helm for three Tests that included a surprise win over the Boks. Last week they experienced a 24-46 loss to an experimental All Black lineup that rested Beauden Barrett, Liam Squires, Sam Cane, and Aaron Smith.
But the Pumas gave the All Blacks a hard night with their two toughest campaigners – hooker Agustin Creevy with 77 caps, and fly-half Nicolas Sanchez with 67 and 658 career points – calling the shots.
Nick Sanchez (AFP PHOTO / MARTY MELVILLE)
That makes it imperative vastly experienced Wallaby hooker Tatafa Polota-Nau plays as many minutes as possible, and Matt Toomua’s switch to fly-half, allowing Kurtley Beale to return to inside centre where he has more room for his x-factor rugby.
Bench hooker Folau Fainga’a is a liability as a lineout feeder, with the last week memory of two crooked throws with the Wallabies on attack on the Boks quarter line that could have cost the men-in-gold a much-needed victory.
The latter Toomua selection is even more important if Israel Folau (ankle), and David Pocock (neck), are still on the injured list.
Winning and using the ball will become even more important than usual, with the Pumas outside backs very lively under Sanchez’s command.
Effectively, Cheika’s comprehensive track record against the Pumas of 34-9, 29-15, 33-21, 45-20, and 37-20 for a total of 214 points to 105, including 28 tries to eight, will amount to nothing.
This will be a very different ball game.
Winning ugly against the Boks last week was so important to the morale of the Wallabies that cannot, and must not, be underestimated.
Kurtley Beale of the Wallabies (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Wallabies had forgotten how to win against the odds. They now know how, and must never forget it.
The return of giant lock Adam Coleman to link with his tall-timber partner Rory Arnold will be another huge plus.
And a start for rugged prop Taniela Tupou goes without question.
Once he came on against the Boks off the bench, the heavens moved. His was a stunning performance worthy of a far more experienced player.
‘Thor’ is here to stay.
In short, this Puma clash has taken on even more meaning than that win over the Boks.
There’s no doubt the Wallabies are very capable of winning their last three Rugby Championship games.
Just do it.