Iain Payten pinpoints five head-scratchers for Ewen McKenzie when picking his Wallabies team

EWEN McKenzie knows he must change the record or else the same depressing tune will keep playing against All Blacks.

EWEN McKenzie knows he must change the record or else the same depressing tune will keep playing against All Blacks on Saturday at ANZ Stadium.

The new Wallabies coach has shown a willingness to make bold calls with his squads, but what will he do when it comes to picking the Wallabies team early this week? How many new faces will be called on, and how many of the old crew will be retained? What sort of balance will McKenzie and his selectors strike between hardened international experience, and the potential of in-form Test rookies?

We take a look at five positions where McKenzie will scratch his head a little longer than others.

FIVE-EIGHTH

Quade Cooper would be Tom Waterhouse's $1.50 favourite for this spot ahead of Matt Toomua based on his history with McKenzie and Will Genia. While Toomua has given a compelling audition for a Test debut this year, time is against him for the first Bledisloe Cup. With only a limited time on the training paddock before the first Test, McKenzie can re-unite Cooper and Genia and upload the bones of a Reds-ish gameplan fairly seamlessly. Toomua's defence is the ace in his pocket. He not only holds the inside channel, he can intimidate within it. McKenzie has shown a willingness to accommodate Cooper's defensive frailties, but perhaps not forever.

OUTSIDE CENTRE

Tevita Kuridrani is another who has stuck his hand up high for Wallabies duties after a superb Super Rugby season with the Brumbies. McKenzie is clearly considering using the linebusting power of the Fijian too, given he's kept the 101kg centre in his squad. But Adam Ashley-Cooper is the incumbent, and given he's arguably the most consistent Wallaby of the past three years, there is no convincing reason for the Waratah to be displaced. If nothing else, AAC's experience underpins what could be a young Wallabies backline. If Kuridrani played no.13 in a line also containing Chistian Lealiifano, Israel Folau, Jesse Mogg and Joe Tomane, for example, they'd have just 11 caps between them.

NO.8

Arguably Australia's problem position. Wycliff Palu has held a mortgage on this spot but with the NSW no.8 injured and not likely to return for TRC, there is no obvious next-cab-off-the-rank for McKenzie. Ben McCalman and Jake Schatz are the closest things to specialist no.8s in the 30-man squad, but Ben Mowen has switched between blindside flanker and no.8, and his bigger frame may be better suited to the role at Test level. Moving Mowen to the back could open the door for Hugh McMeniman to be considered as a no.6, which would create an extra jumper for the Wallabies lineout.

FULLBACK

A pivotal spot and perhaps the biggest insight into McKenzie's tactics. With no Kurtley Beale, Jesse Mogg is a leading candidate, along with Folau and James O'Connor. All three are exceptional attacking forces and though Mogg is best suited to no.15 given his strong boot, a back three of the trio - in any order - would be exciting. McKenzie name checked all of them when asked about the spot last week but interestingly, he also tossed in Ashley-Cooper, who played several seasons of fullback at Test level. This might indicate McKenzie is planning to use his Reds strategy of Quade Cooper at the back, and pushing the fullback forward to defend. AAC is one of the strongest defenders in the Wallabies. If he keeps him at no.13, however, O'Connor might fit the bill as well, returning him - defensively at least - to the no.10 channel.

LOOSEHEAD PROP

With incumbent no.1 Benn Robinson popped out of the squad, loosehead prop is up for grabs. James Slipper and Scott Sio are the men McKenzie nominated as the replacement options, and 37-Test capped Slipper probably has his nose in front. While not a celebrated scrummager, McKenzie values his overall value, particularly workrate. "You look at Slipper's stats and they're always up there", he said last week.
McKenzie won't use the mind-numbing, one-out runner of recent Wallaby years, so mobile forwards are needed for wider duties. Fitness, too, will be key with expectations the new scrum laws will sap the legs of props earlier in the game due to longer scrums. Sio is a very exciting prospect, with a potent blend of scrum power and destructive general play, but its more likely he'll get blooded via the bench. Elsewhere in the front row, Stephen Moore is a lock for hooker and don't discount Sekope Kepu challenging Ben Alexander for starting tighthead. McKenzie gave Kepu his Super Rugby debut at NSW in 2008. As an aside, don't discount a return of Robinson in the near future either. The no.1 has been dropped often in his career, notably by McKenzie in 2008, Deans in 2010 and Cheika at the start of this season. He is something of an easy mark for coaches to make a statement to the rest of the team, given at-times soft general play stats lead to accusations of laziness. When the coach remembers he needs a solid scrum as well, however, Robinson's strength is sought again. Suitably chastened, the Cat then delivers. Watch this space.