NOW that the All Blacks have won comfortably 39-18 over the Pumas in the opening match of this year’s Rugby Championship, those supporting the Wallabies must be hoping that the changes introduced by coach Michael Cheika will be just as successful against the Springboks today.
The surprise team selections are significant in that their trans-Tasman rivals too made some changes in their 23-man squad in Christchurch which suggested that they did not anticipate Argentina to be too much of an issue.
The run-on 15 amongst the forwards included Luke Romano alongside Brodie Retallick while Jeremy Thrush was on the bench. Missing was the most senior lock Sam Whitelock.
Similarly in the backline Ma’a Nonu started at outside centre to accommodate Sonny Bill-Williams one position inside him while senior centre Conrad Smith was also not in the 23.
Other players who probably would not be in the 23 had coach Steve Hansen looked at their opponents differently would most likely be Colin Slade, Nepo Laulala, Andy Ellis and possibly Ryan Crotty too, all of whom were named on the bench.
There was a place for debutant Waisake Naholo on the wing and Codie Taylor off the bench.
Yesterday’s (Friday) win by the All Blacks was their 20th in 21 Tests, with one drawn in 1985.
And in just over nine weeks they meet again in their group opener at the World Cup at Wembley Stadium on September 20.
In the case of the Wallabies, Cheika has surprised many by naming Will Genia and Quade Cooper to make their first start as a pair since November 2013.
Bernard Foley, who became the first-choice flyhalf when Cooper was out injured and having limited game time in Super Rugby as he went through his recovery, has been left out of today’s squad while his regular partner off the scrum, Nick Phipps, is on the bench.
Cheika’s reasoning is the unpredictability and variations Cooper provides.
Despite not playing together for the last two seasons, Cooper and Genia know each other very well, having played as a pair since they were 15-year-olds.
Genia was the Wallabies captain but was unceremoniously dropped to the bench in 2013, a decision which he said affected him deeply.
Also making a dream return after last playing for the Wallabies in November 2010 is centre Matt Giteau,now with top French club Toulon.
Being named to play at No. 13 today means that he, Genia and Cooper will be starting as a trio for the first time since that end-of-year northern tour.
They were in the winning side against Wales then but after that lost to England.
Elsewhere in the side the Wallabies do not contain too many surprises and welcome back another former captain in openside flanker David Pocock.
At the moment he can’t unseat Michael Hooper in the No. 7 jersey but there cannot be a better time to make the Wallabies squad again, with this year being a World Cup year.
There’s hardly any surprise in the Springboks 23-man squad to play in Brisbane.
Last season’s captain Jean De Villiers has however been left behind as part of his recovery process from a bad knee injury and will play club rugby.
Thus the squad to Australia contain 22 players who were involved in the match against the World XV last weekend.
Injuries aside, the squad named for tomorrow indicate that coach Heyneke Meyer is open to giving young talents the opportunity although there is always a risk with having too many of them starting a game against experienced sides.
In line with this, tomorrow will see young backs Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Handre Pollard in the run-on 15.