UNDER-fire Michael Cheika has found an unlikely ally in All Blacks counterpart Steve Hansen, who believes Rugby Australia’s backing of the the Wallabies’ coach might pay dividends.
Growing calls for Cheika’s head from disgruntled fans after just three Wallabies wins from their past 11 Tests were ignored last week when RA chairman Cameron Clyne publicly declared the one-time world coach of the year as still the best man for the job.
Hansen felt it was the right call.
“It’s not for me to say what’s right for Australian rugby but what I do know is that continuity has been proven over and over and over again to be a pretty good recipe,” he said ahead of Saturday’s final trans-Tasman clash of the year against the Wallabies in Yokohama.
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Will Genia celebrates the Rugby Championship victory over South Africa at Suncorp Stadium. (AAP Image/Darren England)
Source: DailyTelegraph
The Wallabies will be out to salvage their pride against their fierce rivals, having gone down in the first two Bledisloe Cup games by a combined margin of 53 points.
The Test kicks off at 4.45pm EST.
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TEAMS (15-1):
WALLABIES
Dane Haylett-Petty, Sefa Naivalu, Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale, Marika Koroibete, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan, Rob Simmons, Izack Rodda, Allan Alaalatoa , Folau Faingaa, Scott Sio. Res: Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Taniela Tupou, Rory Arnold, Jack Dempsey, Pete Samu, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi, Tom Banks (one to be omitted).
ALL BLACKS
Damian McKenzie, Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Kieran Read (capt), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Nathan Harris, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Nepo Laulala, Brodie Retallick, Matt Todd, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
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