Michael Hooper, David Pocock start for Wallabies against All Blacks in Rugby

Hooper was equally excited at what they could achieve together.

Australia have picked both Michael Hooper and David Pocock for Saturday’s Rugby Championship decider with New Zealand.

With the World Cup just over six weeks away, Cheika will get the best possible gauge of the Wallabies progress under his charge with matches against New Zealand on successive Saturdays in Sydney and Auckland.

Meanwhile, Wallabies may have regained Michael Hooper’s service after being cleared to play for the Rugby Championship decider but Australia will be without premier lineout jumper Rob Simmons.

The Wallabies and All Blacks go into their final-round clash as the only unbeaten sides in the southern hemisphere championship that also features South Africa and Argentina.

With the Rugby World Cup starting next month, Cheika’s side get an opportunity to gauge just where they are at.

Asked directly whether the All Blacks were beatable, Cheika was still not tempted to echo the confidence of Wallabies coaches in the recent past.

Australia (v New Zealand): I Folau, A Ashley-Cooper, T Kuridrani, M Giteau, D Mitchell, B Foley, N Phipps, D Pocock, M Hooper, S Fardy, J Horwill, D Mumm, S Kepu, S Moore (c), S Sio.

“This means we will need to bring physicality, intensity and accuracy to the occasion”, he said with Jerome Kaino recalled to join McCaw and Kieran Read as the loose trio and hard-nosed Luke Romano starting at lock with Brodie Retallick. David Pocock, 9. Nick Phipps, 10.

Bernard Foley has retained the fly-half jersey after suggestions that Matt Giteau could return to the position having recovered from injury, though the Toulon utility back has been selected at inside centre, giving the Wallabies a dual playmaking option at first receiver if needed.

The All Blacks have named a debutant on the right wing in Nehe Milner-Skudder, and the 24-year-old is one of several changes.

Matt Giteau will play his first test against the All Blacks in four years.

Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Israel Folau form the Australian back three with Kurtley Beale, Toomua and Nic White on the bench and no room in the line-up for Quade Cooper.

“He (Cheika) has been very complimentary about how good we’re going, so I think he must think that we’re going to turn up feeling like it’s a cakewalk, which is not the case”.

Cheika is preparing to lead the Wallabies against the All Blacks for the first time at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.