Cooper could soon lead the Wallabies

Rising young lock/back-row Ross Haylett-Petty will remain with the Force for a further two seasons after making his Super Rugby debut in 2015.

Having worked under Cheika at Leinster, Rocky Elsom wasn’t surprised by the galvanising effect that he had on what seemed like a fractured Wallabies squad.

Larkham said their selections wouldn’t be influenced by what happens on Saturday morning, Australian time, between England and Fiji.

“He’s an excellent motivator”.

“I think Rob Simmons is the first picked because he runs the lineout very, very well”, Giffin said.

The theoretical “thirds” would also have given it a red hot go if they had been given the chance. “It’s a challenging role, but that’s what you want”.

“You definitely saw that in the style at Leinster”.

“A few of us had an outlet against [the United States team], but I’m pretty sure a few of the senior players are keen to get out there and tackle someone else rather than their teammates”. “But [his enthusiasm] rubs off on other players, especially the older ones who see him running around”.

“You get the same thing in Australia“.

“However, that said, you do need a world-class kicker to win games and this may be the factor which holds them back for this tournament”.

Results to date have been impressive and Australia will certainly arrive in the northern hemisphere full of confidence.

No team has won back-to-back World Cups.

Australia won its first World Cup when defeating England in 1991 and backed that up with victory over France at Cardiff in 1999.

Pocock starred at the 2011 World Cup and guided the Wallabies through to the semi-final after a monumental effort against the Springboks in the quarter-finals.

Wallabies vice-captain Hooper, who was dragged through SANZAR judiciary earlier this year for striking Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez during a Rugby Championship match, said that it would be a good thing to prevent divers, turning rugby into a genuine game where the best team wins.

Even if they do win three from four it may come down to points difference, so a ideal record may be needed to ensure an easier quarter-final.

“The difference between them getting through and not is having that ability to pull out a big performance on that day”.

“Last valuable time the new fish was against Wales therefore wasn’t which these performed improperly but it surely feels as though they’re considerably more competent at that way now”.

“I won’t take any second for granted this time around”. Everything welcome and good luck will be tempered a bit.

“I think my game has changed [in the last four years]”.

“In the backs, I would like to see Matt Giteau excel again”.

“The fact is that when the benefits outweigh the negatives of selecting guys from overseas, then Australia needs to do it”, he stresses.

Hooper and Pocock, playing in the No8 shirt, “are still a possibility”, said Cheika. We’re not here to make up numbers, we were given a medal of participation [at the welcome ceremony].

Now that the ship has been steadied, the feeling in Australia is that this could well be their year.