Cheika's selection 'headaches'
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Every Wallaby player named in Michael Cheika’s 31-man squad will be vying to prove themselves, ahead of this weekend’s upcoming Test against the Springboks in Brisbane.
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That is the verdict of Israel Folau and openside flank Michael Hooper.
Star fullback Folau said: "It’s a good thing to have so many good players in a squad. For the head coach it's a bit of a headache but it’s a good one to try and pick a side, which means we’ve got great depth.
"It keeps everyone on their toes, in trying to get a position in the team and it’s a great thing."
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Less than a week out from the Wallabies’ first Test this year, not a single player has been confirmed as a sure start, something vice-captain Hooper also believes is setting up the side for a strong season.
"There are a hell of a lot of positions which is creating a hell of a lot of competition, because we don’t know yet," said Hooper.
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"That’s Cheiks way, he keeps the guys guessing and keeps a lot of healthy competition out on the field. There is plenty of competition for spots and that’s being shown in training."
Taking a closer look at the possible Wallaby team for the crunch Test on Saturday we can start with the locks.
Will Skelton should get the nod as a physical player with the ability to offload. Rob Simmons could compliant Skelton well by doing the grunt 
work. Dean Mumm's experience would surely see him pip Rory Arnold for a place on the bench. James Horwill is a walking red card and had a poor Super Rugby season. Skelton is a liability in the line-out though, which means the loosies will have to make up for that.
work. Dean Mumm's experience would surely see him pip Rory Arnold for a place on the bench. James Horwill is a walking red card and had a poor Super Rugby season. Skelton is a liability in the line-out though, which means the loosies will have to make up for that.Positions are hotly contested in the loose forward trio. The most obvious – who do you pick between David Pocock and Michael Hooper? Or do you pick both?
Australia don't have enough world class players to have the luxury of either Pocock or Hooper warming the bench. However that limits line-out options and rules out workhorse Scott Fardy.
Pocock and Hooper could possibly share the duties with Fardy doing the dog-work at blindside ahead of Sean McMahon. Scott Higginbotham is another line-out option and will beat Ben McCalman to the No.8 jersey given the season he has had for the Rebels, his line-out ability and abrasive running and off-load game.
A big talking point has been the halfback combination and inside centre. Quade Cooper and Matt Giteau trained alongside each other for much of last week, and all signs point to them wearing the No.10 and No.12 against the Springboks. While Genia has been tipped to start at scrumhalf.
However Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps have been the best performing halfback duo over the last two Super Rugby seasons.
Some pundits say Cooper hasn't done enough this season to deserve to jump ahead of Foley as starting flyhalf and there should be a reward process for well-performed incumbents.
Foley got better and better last season as an international-class No.10 with his consistency and poise.
Cooper though has been training well and has a good track record against the Springboks.
In the midfield one position that looks cut and try is outside centre where Tevita Kuridrani seems to have claimed it.
At inside centre though, Giteau could start and reunite that awesome partnership he had with Cooper in 2011. In Giteau's last 11 Tests playing next to Cooper the duo managed seven victories including the famous win against the All Blacks in Hong Kong.
That means possible players to miss out at inside centre are Matt Toomua and Kurtley Beale. Toomua is a likely candidate for the bench.
The Australian back three is less of a conundrum. Israel Folau will likely be picked at fullback with his aerial skills and running game. However his boot is a weakness and the Springboks could exploit that by kicking on him all day if their chase is good.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Joe Tomane and Drew Mitchell are options on the wings. Ashley-Cooper and Horne are both known quantities and highly trustworthy players but lacking genuine X-factor.
Joe Tomane deserves a shot on the back end of a good Super Rugby performance and Mitchell with his Test experience and to see how he handles international rugby again.
An exciting back three could certainly be Beale at fullback, with Folau and Horne on the wings.
With the Wallabies well attuned to taking on the tough Springboks on Saturday, Michael Hopper knows how important a strong start to the season is to the Australian side.
"We’ve got two chances to play at home this year, and this is one of them. Isolate this and it’s a massive opportunity. It will have an effect down the track; how we want to play, the style and what we’re going to show our opposition.
"Yes it’s going to be a rolling thing, a progression throughout the year, but you isolate this game, we want to win at home."
Hooper is looking forward to playing at Ballymore in Brisbane, drawing on the many great memories that he has made there alongside his Wallaby team mates.
"We play well up here. In the time I’ve been lucky enough to be part of the Wallabies we’ve always played well up here. It’s such a great stadium with such passionate fans up here in Brisbane."
The Wallabies take on the Springboks this Saturday, July 18 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
ARU Media Unit
