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Rugby

10th Jul 2015

How the hell are Australia meant to pick a backline from ALL these options?

Will Slattery

Would you rather backline A or backline B?

Australia coach Michael Cheika has announced a 31-man squad for his side’s first Rugby Championship game against South Africa and while there is a bit of rugby left to be played before the World Cup, many in Australia think this will be very close to the squad he takes to the tournament.

The Aussie pack has some standout performers – Hooper at 6 and Pocock at 7 is some one-two punch – but it is the backline depth that really separates Australia from some of their rivals.

For instance, these are two possible backlines that Cheika could field from his squad. The training games must be more intense than down in Nolan Park.

9. Nick Phipps

10. Bernard Foley

11. Rob Horne

12. Matt Giteau

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper

14. Taqele Naiyaravoro

15. Kurtley Beale

Or

9. Will Genia

10. Quade Cooper

11. Drew Mitchell

12. Matt Toomua

13. Tevita Kuridrani

14. Joe Tomane

15. Israel Folau

You could easily advocate for the devil and say that either backline is better than the other, which says it all really. If Australia can sort out their tight five, they could definitely come close to winning the tournament. First place in their pool, which sees them play England and Wales away, will be rewarded with a quarter-final against Samoa or Scotland.

Second place will see them almost certainly play South Africa.

With attacking talent like that, they might be able to make a run by taking either route.

Wallabies squad: Rory Arnold (Brumbies), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs), Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Reds), Scott Fardy (Brumbies), Israel Folau (Waratahs), Bernard Foley (Waratahs), Will Genia (Reds), Matt Giteau (Toulon), Scott Higginbotham (Rebels), Greg Holmes (Reds), Michael Hooper (Waratahs), Rob Horne (Waratahs), James Horwill (Reds), Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies), Stephen Moore (captain, Brumbies), Drew Mitchell (Toulon), Ben McCalman (Force), Sean McMahon (Rebels), Dean Mumm (Waratahs), Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs), Nick Phipps (Waratahs), David Pocock (Brumbies), Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), Scott Sio (Brumbies), Rob Simmons (Reds), Will Skelton (Waratahs), James Slipper (Reds), Matt Toomua (Brumbies), Joe Tomane (Brumbies)