Plenty of questions for Wallabies and Michael Cheika ahead of the World Cup, writes Andrew Slack

Nobody, including the coach, has any clue who the Wallabies’ first-choice No.10 is on the eve of a World Cup. Andrew Slack writes at least Michael Cheika has Noumea to contemplate it.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is taking his team to Noumea. Pic: Getty Images

Excuse we old blokes’ bemusement at the passage of time, but the announcement of the Wallabies World Cup squad did provoke a ripple of nostalgia.

This is version 9 of the RWC and the preparation for our team has been forensically thought out and planned. Rugby Championship matches against South Africa, Argentina and the All Blacks as well as a return Bledisloe Cup match in Auckland and now a 10-day training camp in Noumea, and a final Test against Samoa next month.

Noumea you ask? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one!

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Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is thinking left-field for his side’s World Cup preparation. Pic: AAP

Coach Michael Cheika was keen on taking the squad to the USA, but on one of the rare occasions RA haven’t let him get his own way, the exorbitant cost of such a venture for no guaranteed return was the deal breaker.

So there they are now, in the rugby heartland of New Caledonia readying themselves for the Land of the Rising Sun. To be a fly on the wall, eh?

Anyway, back to the nostalgia. All this “proper preparation preventing poor performance” approach is laudable but before the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, the Wallabies build up wasn’t quite as thorough. They had one match together before the tournament started and it was against the imposing rugby might of South Korea. Just saying.

When the ‘87 team assembled in Sydney on the Monday night before the opening match against England, a bunch of the squad spent the night at the Harold Park dogs.

Something of a metaphor for how that Wallaby campaign ultimately transpired, but I don’t think a week-long pre-Cup New Caledonian camp crossed anyone’s mind in those days and had it, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have made a jot of difference to the result.

Times have moved on, and in a lot of ways although not all, it’s pointless comparing apples with oranges. However, there’s a solid argument to suggest the 2019 Wallabies could have had just as effective a build up in a rural centre somewhere in Australia where they could get all their work done while being largely out of the spotlight, but at the same time being able to spread a bit of Rugby gospel. An opportunity missed I’d have thought.

The reality is that whatever approach has been taken by the various country’s coaches, each participating nation in 2019 will have had a very intense and much considered build-up. Only one will work. Ultimately, you’re better off being lucky rather than good.

Can the Wallabies bring back William? Unlikely, but not out of the question.

They proved in Perth to be capable of playing to a World Cup level of performance, but one in a row won’t cut it. Assuming no pool group disasters, three in a row is the requirement and in this World Cup, more than any previous ones, there are a greater number of teams who have the potential to go back to back to back.

Definitely England, Wales, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. Maybe France, Scotland and Australia. Argentina probably not. The rest, no.

Selectors have done a good job. Although most of us would have had certain preferences — Tom Banks would have been in my squad — it can’t be said that any one of the 31 didn’t have some solid foundation behind his selection.

Whether the talent pool is deep enough is the question. Nobody, including the coach I fear, has any clue as to who our first choice number 10 should be. Four weeks from our first game, that is not ideal.

At least Cheika has 10 days in Noumea to contemplate it.