Is Michael Cheika about to play Russian roulette with his career?

I think most of us simply ignored it for the rubbish it is

I completely forgot about Banks. He has to start

It’s a no brainer. He has to give his 2nd XV a run. The team lacks confidence. Saying we need to persist with the team I pick each week sends a message we’re desperate and doesn’t allow us to see if alternatives are real options. And, seriously, does a Wallaby fan really care now if we lose? We’ll get hammered by England anyway. A win against a rubbish Italy means nothing

I see the same over a while now Don. She's gone from cheerleader to whipping squad in a jiffy. Maybe someone sent round some photos perhaps I thought But maybe she got the message that she was looking like an amateur chump and should smarten up. Which is good because she's worth reading now so well done Georgina

Haha.. About to?.. Intersing article. But, far more interesting title! Wallabies need a new coach.. That's been obvious for years! Unlearn what you have learned" means that some of the knowledge you "know to be true" may not be true, and could be blocking your ability to perform some task. Yoda How many distractions can an individual make up before the people see ration! The man is a con artist, con artist in business and in his career. However!! eliminating Cheika won't Be the magic pill. The players must unlearn before they truly learn.

Correct, he's put himself in this no win situation, he has developed neither depth nor a winning first choice team and 11 games into the season still hoping the team will gel. I guess only Cheika and RA know his plan and whether a win against Italy is more important than depth for the RWC. His best option would seem to be an inexperienced starting team with a strong bench, but I still don't know if there is enough faith in the bench to be able to save the game if required.

Well coach Cheika has picked the side against Italy he has brought in the changes that many wanted but also kept some really strange selections, almost as if he wants it to fail. Wallabies to face Italy 1. Scott Sio (53 Tests) 2. Folau Fainga’a (6 Tests) 3. Taniela Tupou (10 Tests) 4. Izack Rodda (15 Tests) 5. Adam Coleman (29 Tests) 6. Jack Dempsey (8 Tests) 7. Michael Hooper (c) (89 Tests) 8. David Pocock (76 Tests) 9. Jake Gordon* 10. Matt To'omua (40 Tests) 11. Jordan Petaia* 12. Bernard Foley (66 Tests) 13. Samu Kerevi (23 Tests) 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (116 Tests) 15. Israel Folau (71 Tests) Reserves 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (87 Tests) 17. Jermaine Ainsley (1 Test) 18. Sekope Kepu (101 Tests) 19. Rory Arnold (19 Tests) 20. Pete Samu (7 Tests) 21. Will Genia (98 Tests) 22. Kurtley Beale (82 Tests) 23. Dane Haylett-Petty (29 Tests) My Immediate thoughts on this team: (a) S.Sio is still there when he was the worst of the 4 props last Saturday and J.Ainsley as reserve and (b) T.Tupou starts but reserve THP is back to S.Kepu. The result is LHP could be a weakness and scrum destroyed against the Italy scrum. (c) The 2nd row and back row is overworked to save Cheika ar$e. (d) M.Toomua with B.Foley is the wrong way around, Foley is a 10 and that's it, M.Toomua is a #12 who is also a decent #10. Cheika did this to kill off Q.Cooper's chances to replace B.Foley and he has done it again. Foley should NOT be starting, at best a reserve #10. (e) and who is the #12 replacement if things go awry, Cheika's love-child K.Beale the non-tackling crab. I can see it now, halfway through the match with Australia in trouble, Toomua is hooked and never seen again while Foley goes back to #10 and Beale to #12 allowing the scintillating, brilliant, best-ever Tahs combo of Foley-Beale to save the day. Beale really needs a rest right out of this team, perhaps learning to tackle somewhere in Sydney. (f) Great news to see J.Petaia start his WB career. (g) Did Tom Banks pee on Cheika's dog? At least he gets to see the world I guess. Instead Cheika puts a pensioner in his place. Madness! (h) W.Genia should have his feet up sipping a nice Lambrusco or Chiani and getting the rest he needs. N.Phipps should be reserve halfback, he's a really busy player and atm his pass from the ruck is much faster than Genia's. Its not the best team but I guess Cheika is trying, but the man cannot bring himself to see what everyone else in Australia can see and that is non-tacklers need not apply for a WB job. Foley and Beale should be no-where near this team, their only job on Saturday is to ensure Cheika's favourites stay.

Now that's out of the box thinking Peter. I'd take Latham of Cheika any day and I don't care if he has absolutely no idea what he's doing.

Good words Max.

It's really a no win situation if you look at it that way. The bottom line is Cheik must win on Saturday.

Georgina Robinson is now writing articles that aren't just cheerleading and propaganda for Michael Cheika. That tells me the scribes and insiders are trying to distance themselves somewhat.

Yeah agree completely. I don't get how being "flat-track bullies" is going to be of any assistance to RWC preparations given that there are two tournaments in between. It would not even be of any assistance to the England match. So England are going to do the same defensive patterns that allowed a first-choice Wallaby backline do slick planned routines against Italy? Are England going to provide similar attacking finesse shown by Italy that allowed the first-choice Australian team to prevent the try line being crossed? No, racking up a cricket score against Italy won't do anything but convince the first-voice team that their selection, and pay-packet, is deserved. Then, in typical Australian fashion, England will steam-roll and overconfident first-choice side. Better for mine that a few depth-building selections be made that bring Wallabies back to Italy skill/experience level. A close call, or god forbid a tight loss, and the blood is up, and England get mugged (as they should).

Sorry Loxie. Keep your skirt on. RA social media scribes monitor this site and everyone knows what happened to a few guys for letting their feelings known. I will not be giving you that sort of information. Hooper would not make a Captains choice awards night, and fact: super rugby is tiddly winks compared to test rugby.

Super Rugby is not Test Rugby, how many times do we have to tell you.?

Absolutely spot on.

Given he's under no pressure of losing his job I don't think he's risking anything. Maybe just a the few fans that remain..

It's stats. The author wants to note Italy's previous performance - I'm not sure how you can sum it up much differently? You can't change the outcome of what's already occurred.

perfect response. i came here to say the exact the same thing

I think if he (MC) was going to be dropped, it would have happened already (e.g. after 3-0 to England). Definitely think he should give others in the squad a go, rest regulars, and Italy is the game to do that. Even if the team lost to Italy (which I highly doubt, as second-stringers will be out to prove something): - might lull England into complacency - gives MC a chance to repeat his Argentina half time speech at the start of the England game

evidence of lockroom dissatisfaction? who told you? I am as critical as everyone else of Cheika's selections and loyalty to out of form players. Fact: Tah's are the number 1 SR team in Australia by a considerable margin, is it any surprise they would be over represented in the national side? Whats your alternative fill Wallabies with the also rans they beat all season? You are confusing loyalty to past performers, piss poor positional sections that unbalance the team and a shit game plan, with state bias. I agree Hooper is not captain material, he is however consistently one of the best performed forwards...look at the stats. I do prefer Pocock at 7 and captain with the Hooper finisher, but this requires a real 8 to work, which Cheiker has refused to select. Hanangan must go, Beale & Folley to the bench, Tomua 10, Kerivi 12, Petea 13, drop Phipps for Gordon. Not a whole lot can be done in the forwards right now.