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That would really be Cheika laying his new strategy on the line. I like it.

I think a period of maximum effort from Palu, replaced by Pocock, is a much better plan. You wouldn't want to replace any of Pocock, Hooper or Fardy with Palu in the final 20 minutes, when those players are in their element, and our new method is to speed the game up.

Wallabies by 10. They're a better side than New Zealand at the moment. People say New Zealand never play two poor games in a row. If last week was a single poor performance in their usual stellar year (an all black swan event, if you like) then that'd be a fair comment. But it wasn't: it was a...

I imagine the plan is for Giteau not to play halfback on Saturday.

Hopefully Cheika does. Hopefully at least as well as the Internet does.

I think we're always going to have one playmaker constantly dropping back in defence. It's the system Cheika likes to play. Since To'omua's a defensive standout, that means it's Coopers turn in that role.

Skelton is far from his last chance.

He may be in Cheika's starting 15.

I'm of the opposite view. With the exception of Simmons and Pocock it's probably our strongest pack, and it's probably also our most potent attacking backline. Pocock will be on in good time to play in tandem with Hooper. This is a development, not an experiment.

Good-Cooper plus fast-Genia. We could do with both of those.

He's not so much lighter. There have been plenty of good 105kg 8s. Although the 'figures' have Pocock at 115. That's been debated before, but now it's reached the TV coverage. Has he really put on 10kg? I guess it's possible.

Absolutely not, is my understanding.

Damn right. Giving up the Bled for the RWC is like giving up a shag to pursue a slightly better shag, when by playing your cards right, you have the chance of shagging both.

I agree it's a risk qwerty. The conventional wisdom is that more rested players are better able to perform in those circumstances. The counter argument is that our players are the ones who might perform better in those circumstances, because having played more minutes, and trained harder...

I tend to disagree. The physical floggings are undoubtedly contributing to the players' cardiovascular fitness, particularly their endurance. Cheika appears to train players harder then previous Wallaby coaches have. He might therefore be training them harder than other international coaches are...

I have to hold my hand up here. It was an ironic joke. People can stop correcting me now.

It works sometimes.

When you say "you guys", you have to remember that Australia consists of many rugby nations: Redstralia, the Wallatahs, the Brumbies, and Restralia. Palu has never been rated by (pick a franchise nation other than the Wallatahs).

If we can only play people Kiwis rate, then we'd have to bring back George Smith, and he'd have to play on his own.

Is that inside information or a wish list?