Jordan Petaia finally set for Wallabies debut as Michael Cheika names team for Uruguay

I was being objective as much as I wish I wasn't. But yes, lets move on. Likewise, enjoy the RWC.

Drew, You claim that I “make a lot of assumptions that you really don’t even know to be true.” followed by the claim that “Foley was our best 10”. I have no response to that sort of objectivity. Best we just agree to disagree, Drew. Enjoy the cup.

The problem with the narrative as you have painted it is that you make a lot of assumptions that you really don't even know to be true. There weren't other 10 options sticking their hands up the last couple of years. Foley was our best 10 and when another 10 provided an option Cheika selected him - CLL. In addition to this Cheika and RA worked to get people like Toomua back whilst also working to get Cooper into a Super team after his club had rejected him. You really don't have a clue what Cheika was thinking, what was going on behind the scenes and what Cheika really hoped for. You can't dumped all our player stock challenges on just the National coach when you have all the layers below which need to do the majority of developing these players, not to mention the allure of exciting experiences and big paychecks overseas calling some abroad. At the end of the day the selection panel - not just Cheika decided that the Cooper was not who they wanted for whatever reason and to be frank he didn't do enough this year to really push his case.

Dempsey is not test match material.Too soft and lazy.

After his big injury Dempsey has not been at his best. He's due for a great game. Even if it's against a lesser team it will be great to see him play to his potential, if he does of course. May yet be a key player for us in this tournament even if it's off the bench.

Drew, “who would of honestly have picked Latu in their starting 15 at the beginning of the year?” This is the confusing bit. Not all of Cheika’s selections and tactics are wrong. Most of both seemed potent last game. But not all, namely the five eight. Cheika’s mistakes are like a bikini. What a bikini hides is minimal, yet crucial. My beef with Cheika has been around the back row and 10, which are crucial areas after a tight 5 unit finds parity. The BR and halves are the ‘sling’ in the shot. And we have fired far too accurate shots in the last four years because of a selection marriage between a certain coach and a certain 10. Pun intended. Meanwhile Australia’s most gifted attack playmaker is outside the squad fully aware (as many others now are) than his 10 nemesis is wasting a squad spot. My beef with Cheika over the last 5 years is for neglecting attack in 10 selection - by eschewing our best attack creator , whilst simultaneously neglecting any development of another 10 to do what 10’s are there to do - namely, to create attack options for others to finish. Cheika has been gambling at 10 with somebody else’s chips. “The odds are there to beat You win a while and then it's done Your little winning streak And summoned now to deal With your invincible defeat”

Beale is a great choice from the bench with 25 to go

Banks should be in but he looks sloppy with his socks down. Needs to walk around with his nose in the air like matt burke and fool the selectors.

Uruguay will probably look in this for a decent proportion of the match.

That’s a fair point also

That's fine on a bus TWAS. But I'm driving and my wife doesn't drive!! I'll try harder.

Well the best parts of Italy have been the Montepulciano and the Chianti. And I've put on about 3kg in 10 days..

have to say i quite like this team. Tight 5 are solid (but not Best on Show), move DHP to FB and play a proper winger (here my argument falls down) and it has the makings of a pretty solid team.

. . . and if the ball never makes it to the fringes you have one of our best ball carriers barely getting a touch (even in the last game against Wales MK had limited touches), not to mention SK, who struggled enough understanding his role defensively early on (anyone remember that openning Bledisloe Cup game a year or so back) having to learn a new position, potentially deal with high balls out wide and all else that comes with the role. Don't forget that we do get Hodge back post Georgia, so whatever we try out against Georgia may be different again for the QF as the players available will be different. Lets see how Petaia and DHP go on the wings next game before we consider crazy positional moves... or just have SK run the wide channel as part of an attacking play.. heck the All Blacks have everyone from Read to Coles out there at times.

Hi Drew, Kerevi is playing 13 in attack and 12 in defence. He rarely passes. Moving him to the wing is places a big hard running carrier there and overcomes his lack of passing. Who would you rather face out of SK, AAC or Petaia? JOC has played 12 in attack and 13 in defence. Selecting TK at 13 improves the defence. Essentially it's swapping TK for AAC by moving SK from 13 to wing. The suggestion is for the Georgia match to trial the best possible combination of the best available players. The alternative is to continue with AAC or pick the very inexperienced Petaia

2020 Rebels backline likely to be: 9. Lomani 10. Maddocks 11. Koroibete 12. Toomua 13. Hodge 14. Tupou 15. Haylett-Petty

Oh god Fionn, the idea of watching the Iceman melt under pressure again terrifies me. I just hope that the Wales game gave the other two selectors enough to override Cheika moving forward in this RWC

‘I would have had JoC at 10 before Foley’ Yep.

Ninc I have commented elsewhere that this run of events has been tragic for Foley. Promoted past the point of redundancy and into a cauldron of scrutiny and pressure that he floundered in. ‘Loyal to a fault’ is a phrase that Cheika deserves.

Selections and tactics were ok last game, except at 10, and 9. Those two selections let Wales’ tactics shine.