In the forwards, Wycliff Palu has recovered from a hamstring strain and will wear the no. 8 jersey in a back row also containing Sean McMahon and no. 6 Ben McCalman.
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“We really want the entire squad to get a touch of the ball early at this Rugby World Cup and get everyone into match mode”, said Cheika.
The bench will be loaded up with players who Cheika feels need some more miles in the legs – with starting front row and locks from the Fiji game all expected to get more game time.
“But it’s been very hard to play England and then Australia five days later in two matches of such intensity”.
“It’s important we continue to improve each day as a collective”, added Cheika, who has turned the Wallabies fortunes round since assuming control last October culminating in a terrific win over the All Blacks to win the Rugby Championship in August.
The Uruguayans are confident their preparations will enable them to be competitive despite having to play two of rugby’s top nations in consecutive weeks.
“Yeah, I was hoping not to talk about it because it’s a private thing I suppose for him, but his wife has gone into labour”, said Wallabies coach Michael Cheika. While he is now down the pecking order with Michael Cheika, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him force his way into the first choice starting lineup by the end of the pool stages.
Straight after being told he would be named as Australia’s 84th captain for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup clash against Uruguay, the 31-year-old dashed from Bath to London to be at the bedside of his wife as she gave birth to their second child. Nick Phipps and Quade Cooper combine in the half-backs, with Matt Toomua linking up with Henry Speight in midfield.
Meanwhile, Uruguay made six changes, one positional, from the lineup which lost to Wales 54-9 in Cardiff last weekend.
Franco Lamanna comes into the second row for Jorge Zerbino and Juan De Freitas will play at blindside flanker, allowing Juan Manuel Gaminara to move to No 8.
Prediction: Even with 14 changes, this should be a walk in the park for Australia.
Australia set up two superb driving mauls in the first half which ended up with tries for Pocock. Australia by 50!
Much like New Zealand, Australia’s second string is still packed with attacking talent as Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and Drew Mitchell make their first starts of the tournament.
Replacements: Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu, Greg Holmes, Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons, Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Tevita Kuridrani.
Uruguay: 15 Gaston Mieres, 14 Leandro Leivas, 13 Joaquin Prada, 12 Andres Vilaseca, 11 Rodrigo Silva, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 9 Agustin Ormaechea; 1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 German Kessler, 3 Mario Sagario, 4 Santiago Vilaseca (c), 5 Franco Lamanna, 6 Juan De Freitas, 7 Matias Beer, 8 Juan Manuel Gaminara.
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Replacements: Nicolas Klappenbach, Oscar Duran, Carlos Arboleya, Alejandro Nieto, Diego Magno, Fernando Bascou, Alejo Druan, Alberto Roman.
