MICHAEL CHEIKA IS confident Australia’s much-changed XV has the quality to maintain their winning start to the Rugby World Cup against Uruguay on Sunday.
The Wallabies coach has made 14 changes for the Pool A clash at Villa Park, with only Scott Sio retaining his place, but he expects his team to build on their 28-13 victory over Fiji.
“It’s a great opportunity to get everybody into the game and match mode,” Cheika said.
“I really believe it is going to take the 31 players to be in that competitive mode as early as possible because in tournament play anything can happen.
“It gives everyone the opportunity in the World Cup environment to play for places and to compete with their team-mates who went on the field on Wednesday, to put their best foot forward and play some good rugby.
“The margins are so fine in selection that it could have been these guys playing last Wednesday.
“Every player has a clear role to fill in our set-up and we are guided by the number he has on his back as each player has a very clear job to do and then he brings his own talents, his own music, to that.”
Second row Dean Mumm has been handed the Australia captaincy for the first time, while Drew Mitchell makes his first start for four years.
Mitchell has the opportunity to overtake Chris Latham as Australia’s leading World Cup try scorer if he can cross the line twice.
And tries are exactly what Australia need after failing to score a bonus point against Fiji, leaving them behind Wales and England in the early stages of the pool.
Uruguay have also made changes for the encounter - five in total - with German Kessler to make his first start in a World Cup match, and Leandro Leivas set to make his debut in the competition.
“He was one of the best players in the junior world championships,” coach Pablo Lemoine said about Kessler.
“He’s young but he’s really strong, he has a lot of attitude on the pitch and the team needs young players and they need a place on the team. German is a competitor and he will play a great game on Sunday.”
