Wallabies bring out the double-barrel; Rugby 365

Back row forwards Michael Hooper and David Pocock have both been named in Australia's starting line-up for the Rugby Championship decider against New Zealand in Sydney on Saturday.

It will be the first time the pair will have started a Test together, with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika assembling a mobile pack - indicating an intention to play a high-paced game.

Hooper has won the right to the No.7 jersey, with Pocock in No.8.

"Australian rugby is very fortunate to have some quality flanks competing for the No.7 jumper," Cheika said when announcing the line-up on Thursday.

"Both players have been in outstanding form for franchise and country this season and have shown their class in sharing the spot in the first two matches.

"They now have an opportunity to start a Test together which they are very excited about."

Cheika has shaken up his forward pack for the final round - a clash between the only two unbeaten sides in the competition, that also includes South Africa and Argentina.

James Horwill, Dean Mumm and Scott Sio have been promoted to the starting fifteen - with Mumm's rise since returning from Europe forcing Will Skelton to the bench for the first time this season.

In the backs, Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps remain the preferred halfback pairing, while Matt Giteau returns from injury to replace Matt Toomua - Giteau in his first start against New Zealand since 2011. The 93-Test veteran forms a centre partnership with Tevita Kuridrani.

Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Israel Folau form a potent back three.

Among the replacements, Kurtley Beale, Toomua and Nic White provide backline cover with Quade Cooper missing out.

In another key milestone for the Wallabies, Scott Sio will make his run-on debut at loosehead prop after a pair of impressive cameos from the reserves bench in Brisbane and Mendoza, and a strong training camp.
 
"We have been impressed with Scott since joining the Wallabies group and he has worked extremely hard to put himself in this position," said Cheika.
 
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore, (captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nic White, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Kurtley Beale.

Date: Saturday, August 8
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 20.05 (22.05 NZ time, 10.05 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

 So Skelton will come in from the bench to "wreck havok". I look forward to seeing how Hooper & Poc*ck do against the ABs, I think they will be effective at the breakdown but the ABs managed to deal with a similar situation when they played the Boks at Ellis Park. ABs by 7.

 Can't wait. Should be a fairly good Wobblies team. No idea how it will pan out but I have a pretty good feeling. Wallabies by 6. But if we get beaten by 20 I would not be surprised, just devastated.

Hi Claydog, yes another great test match coming up 
There is always something special about these tests, this time around ABs have a couple of exciting new players & we are fielding a very strong team. Oz have a new coach, a pack which is improving (the interest in Poc*ck & hooper combo), some reintroduced players like Gitgo and some exciting backs. Just luvin' it
PS our mate Barnsey is the ref, I wonder if he has learned to behave himself? I don't think we have given him a watch, we hesitate to follow the SA example

 Interesting that Cheika is starting with Foley instead of Matt Toomua.....also note that Quade Cooper has been dropped or is he injured?  Has Cheika stolen a leaf from Meyer's approach from the last test by trying to win the ruck battles by playing two fetchers?
Probably the Wallabies best side with a strong bench. Looks like the ball is going to be given plenty of air.

 
Awesome team ... Cheika's moving forward ... building something special ... using his brain ... unlike some I know

Having Giteau jn at 12 brings new options to the backline ... very clever move by Cheika ... powerful backline ... can compete with the best in the world ... perhaps even beat them all.

This is one match I'll not miss.

Go Wallabies!!!!!

Why bring out a double barrel shotgun when a pea shooter will do comes to mind.
To think the second string Bok match 23 should have beaten both these down under sides.
Anyhow  one hopes the Wobblies can do it. I fear their pack is even softer than the wee abs!!! 

Cheika is a fool for omitting Toomua. He amplified their potency when he came on, a big reason why they were able to put us under pressure in that final period.
I hope Hansen punishes Cheika the way the All Blacks should have punished Meyer for elevating Damian. 

 DF: Hansen is doing just fine. A lot of what we saw under Henry was probably Hansen anyway. Hansen has brought in & developed a lot of new talent. He has evolved the game but we have not seen his full bag of tricks yet

I doubt that very much. So far I haven't seen anything to suggest Henry wasn't the mastermind. The only other fella who comes close is Wayne Smith.

 let see how it works for the aussies to play with 3 flankers,....... but I have my doubts,... Poc0ck is not a nº8, he's a quite pure openside,..... but let see.....
IMO the problems could come through the 10-12 channel,....... Foley's been out of form this season and Gitteau is too small to defend the current test centers (SBW, Nonu, de Allende) and gets smashed like against the boks.
I would have played with Gitteau at 10 and Toomua at 12

Anyway, very interesting match

 Wayne Smith was supposed to join the ABs coaching team this year but he is such a low key guy I haven't heard anything more.

Damian inflicted no damage on Giteau. The one tackle Damian got on him was the result of Giteau running from across the face of Damian to lure him out of his channel, it worked and a nice short inside ball saw a runner put clean through his channel. The other opportunity to tackle Giteau, Damian failed to pick Git up as his man and he got beaten cleanly. Git put away Folau for a free run to the line, but Folau fumbled the ball. 
Ball-in-hand, Damian did nothing to Git all game. It is true this is a weak spot, but the Boks simply applied no pressure. That one hit on Git was the exception, not the rule. It remains to be seen whether New Zealand will even target him. They failed to take advantage of Damian, playing a very structureless mess of a game. If Sonny gets as little ball as Nonu, he will become a non-factor. 
Just Win, Wayne is excellent! He decided to stay with the Chiefs where has been doing outstanding worked, I've read quite a few coaching articles by him, he is no fool. I wish he was South African. Helped get the All Blacks back on track early in Graham's tenure, that ended up being to date - alongside the 96 and 97 All Blacks - the best All Black team. He deserves some recognition.