Brendan Cannon selects his team to take on the British and Irish Lions
QUADE Cooper must be chosen at five-eighth against the British and Irish Lions with Christian Lealiifano his right-hand man at inside centre.
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QUADE Cooper must be chosen at five-eighth against the British and Irish Lions and the Brumbies' Christian Lealiifano should be his right-hand man at inside centre.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will select his top 25 players for the Lions series this afternoon, but there is no doubt in my mind as to which 23 should be lining up against our northern foes in the first Test on June 22 in Brisbane.
They are players who have either the experience or pizzazz to make winning contributions to the series and players that the Lions will have most trouble containing.
FIVE-EIGHTH
THIS is the most hotly contested and polarising selection, but Cooper is head and shoulders above the rest for mine.
The Quade Cooper of 2013 is a far more mature version than his past incarnations. His form in recent weeks for Queensland has been exemplary. He is not trying for the big play all the time, he
still has that element of risk in his game but that has diminished significantly because of his greater game-management capacity.
His combination with halfback Will Genia is so important. It's like they have a sixth sense about each other, they have an understanding that can't be discredited.
They have a prosperous relationship that can strike at the heart of the Lions defence.
People will say that the Cooper-Genia pairing has tried and failed at international level, but Cooper today is very different to the player at the 2011 World Cup.
While he is full of bravado, there was a naivety about him that was exposed.
In 2013, he is picking and choosing his moments with precision and maturity.
He is my pick, ahead of James O'Connor, who I believe should be fullback because of his kicking game.
Berrick Barnes would be my reserve, while Kurtley Beale isn't mentally ready for the series given his off-field issues.
INSIDE CENTRE
THIS IS another crucial position with many options, but Lealiifano is equally comfortable at first receiver and can take pressure off Cooper as multiple phases build up.
Deans has been using the crash-ball style of Pat McCabe in this position, and there has been talk of doing similar against the Lions given their huge backline, but you are really limiting your attacking options with a big man at No. 12 who does not have deft passing skills.
Lealiifano would have played for the Wallabies last year had he not been injured, and he has returned to the Brumbies in impressive fashion this season.
He will be able to handle whatever the Lions throw at him because he is a proven midfield defender and his creativity will provide Australia with necessary variety in attack.
WING
I WOULD be surprised if too many people are still debating the merits of including Israel Folau in the team after what he has shown for the Waratahs over the past month.
At the start of the year he looked a long way off, but the recent elevation of his game makes him an automatic selection.
Folau's aerial skills are well documented, but his positional play has also improved rapidly.
In selecting Folau and Digby Ioane on the wings, you would have two strong men who could directly involve themselves in centre field from set-plays and counter-attacks, and this would be a nightmare scenario for the Lions.
TIGHTHEAD
DAN Palmer is the best tighthead scrummager in Australia. Tighthead is a really tough position - for mine the toughest on the field - because you're expected to show a number of different skills around the field while also making sure the scrum is set.
If the scrum holds up, nobody talks about you.
But if the scrum goes backwards, everybody talks about the tighthead.
In a series such as this, I place greatest importance on scrum stability, and I know Palmer is not a player that people would be talking about post-series because of poor scrummaging.
He has developed a strong partnership with hooker Stephen Moore at the Brumbies and that will be a key combination at engagement time.
LOCK
I have been thoroughly impressed by Kane Douglas this year, and I believe he can form a wonderful alliance with James Horwill, who will be the Test captain.
Douglas is a second-rower who can roam around the edges, while Horwill will stick tight in the rugged stuff.
This would be very similar to the way another successful pairing operated for the Wallabies, with Nathan Sharpe the roamer and Dan Vickerman employed as the worker..
THE REST
IN these big series you need big-match experience and temperament, so George Smith is a must at openside, with Michael Hooper providing a real spark in attack coming off the bench late.
Wycliff Palu and Scott Higginbotham are formidable beasts and will take it to the rival pack, while Benn Robinson is among the top two looseheads in the world.
The ever reliable Adam Ashley-Cooper will not be challenged for the No. 13 jersey in anybody's team provided the Waratahs stalwart remains fit.
Also, on the bench I have gone for versatility because you need options.
Dave Dennis is the second-rower and backrow cover, while Barnes and the Brumbies' Jesse Mogg can also play various positions.