Quade Cooper dropped for Australia-New Zealand as Michael Cheika proves Steve Hansen right
Friday 21 October 2016 07:41, UK
Michael Cheika has proved Steve Hansen's prediction correct by dropping Quade Cooper for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup Test.
The Australia coach delayed naming his side for Auckland after New Zealand counterpart Hansen guessed Bernard Foley would start at fly-half in Cooper's place.
Hansen also predicted Foley's switch of position would mean a start at centre for Reece Hodge, and the Melbourne Rebels back has been named at No 12.
"He must have known somehow," Cheika joked, before referencing the bug that was found in the All Blacks' Sydney hotel earlier this year. "I'm not quite sure how because the bug is gone,"
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Samu Kerevi is Hodge's midfield partner, while Henry Speight start on the wing and Nick Phipps gets the scrum-half shirt with Will Genia back in France.
David Pocock, fit after injury, starts among the replacements.
Cheika said: "Testing new ideas on the bigger stage, some people might not think is the right time but I think that's the place you see if it's really something that can work in the future."
The Wallabies have not beaten New Zealand at Eden Park since 1986, and another defeat would mean a world-record 18th straight win for their rivals, who have already secured the Bledisloe Cup with two wins in the Rugby Championship.
Team: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Adam Coleman, 6 Den Mumm, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 Lopeti Timani
Replacements: 16-James Hanson, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Alan Alaalatoa, 19-Rob Simmons, 20-David Pocock, 21-Nick Frisby, 22-Quade Cooper, 23-Sefa Naivalu
