Cheika to settle for Wallabies tweaks

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is set to opt for minor selection tweaks – not wholesale changes – as he attempts to keep the Bledisloe Cup series alive in Dunedin on Saturday.

Cheika is due to name his team for the second Test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Thursday, and he is expected to keep faith in most players from the Wallabies team humiliated in the opening 54-34 loss to New Zealand last weekend.

The quick turnaround against the world champions is an obvious reason but the stark reality of Australian rugby is there are not too many better options than the ones that ran out at ANZ Stadium.

Some change is obviously required after the defence was cut to ribbons as the All Blacks raced in eight tries to lead 54-6 – and outside centre Samu Kerevi is tipped to pay the price for the worst Test performance in his short career.

The Queensland Reds powerhouse was targeted by the All Blacks in defence and missed four tackles and conceded one turnover before being hooked at half-time.

Kerevi is one of Australia’s most dynamic attackers but is a frustratingly incomplete player at international level and will remain so until he shores up the other side of his game.

The experienced Tevita Kuridrani is the obvious alternative, a reliable defender who helped plug some of the holes in the Australian backline when he came on in the second half, while also scoring a try.

Meanwhile, Dane Haylett-Petty missed last week’s Test due to a bicep injury and is a Cheika favourite, having started nearly every game he has been available for since his debut last year.

If passed fit, he seems destined to play on the left wing in place of debutant Curtis Rona, another struggler in defence, although not helped by the Wallabies’ defensive system which involves switching some positions.

Haylett-Petty would also give the Wallabies a much-needed exit option at the back given neither Israel Folau nor Henry Speight are strong kicking options.

Others, like hooker and former skipper Stephen Moore, could also come under selection scrutiny.

But the message from Australia’s training camp in Christchurch this week has been that, overall, execution – not ability – was the problem in Sydney.

“Well, we didn’t do what we wanted to do. So it’s not like we did everything we could and it wasn’t good enough,” captain Michael Hooper said.

“If we’d gone out there and did what you wanted and they beat you anyway, then you’d go, ‘sheesh.’

“Yes, people say they were so far in front and so on.

“But the reality is they’re the best team in the world and we scored 30 points. So that’s positive from us.”

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