Israel Folau to stick at 15 for Wallabies, says Michael Cheika

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has all but confirmed Israel Folau will play fullback against the All Blacks.

Israel Folau takes a run at Wallabies training in Sydney. Coach Michael Cheika says he intends to keep Folau at fullback for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup match.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has all but confirmed Israel Folau will play at fullback against the All Blacks, ending speculation he will be moved to outside centre.

Folau switched from fullback to outside centre with the Waratahs in Super Rugby this year, fuelling talk he would wear the gold No 13 jersey.

But Cheika said yesterday he preferred Folau at fullback and also cited the improved form of incumbent Wallabies outside centre Tevita Kuridrani.

“I think I’ve shown that’s where I like him playing,” Cheika said. “Even though he played the (Super Rugby) season at 13, he was playing there (fullback) before.

“No matter where he plays, he’ll be an influence on the game. I like him back there and what he can do in the wider channels. I would suggest more than likely that is where he is going to play.

“Also, we have seen Tevita Kuridrani improve towards the end of the season and (Samu) Kerevi has been a cause of that because he has had a good season. We’ve got a fair bit of strength in that area.

“We do have options but I’ve got a pretty consistent track record of selecting Israel back there and letting him move around a bit.”

Folau ran at fullback at training at Sydney Grammar School yesterday in a backline that included Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Kuri­drani, Rob Horne and Dane Haylett-Petty, while Adam Ashley-Cooper and Drew Mitchell did not train.

“I’m starting to get a handle on what we are going to look like,” Cheika said. “Next week will tell a lot more. The start of the week after I’ll be pretty sure.”

Cheika named a 33-man squad yesterday to continue preparations at Terrigal on the NSW central coast next week after culling three players — Nick Frisby, Luke Morahan and Toby Smith — who had been training with an extended squad in Sydney.

Cheika has had extra time to get the Wallabies ready while four New Zealand teams competed in the Super Rugby playoffs.

Asked whether this was an advantage, he said: “We’ll see in the end won’t we? It’s helpful but there is always the balance, too, of playing footy as well.

“Playing rugby at the highest level, which finals and semi-finals of Super Rugby are, is always an advantage too, because they are in that competitive heat.

“If you look at the way we are setting ourselves up now, we are having to do other things to replace that game practice around our fitness training, but it also gives us the opportunity to get to know our style or reconnect with the style of game we want to play.

“I think a lot of people would be saying whether we were playing or not we would struggle to match them (All Blacks) anyway.

“We understand we are not going to be that highly regarded in the contest but we will be bringing the best intensity we can.”

Meanwhile, Cheika said he would not ask former All Blacks skills coach Mick Byrne, who has joined the Wallabies coaching staff, to divulge any of New Zealand’s secrets.

“I’m not the type of guy who is going to ask Mick what do New Zealand do in this situation. Maybe it’s cheap. That’s not why we wanted Mick to come over. We wanted Mick to coach with us because he can help develop skills.

“I’m not looking to take the lift. I want to take the stairs. I want to work hard and earn anything we can get against our opponent.

“I don’t think asking him what are they doing here or what about this or what about that is going to solve anything for us.

“We have to have that in ourselves already. I like him. I don’t want to put him in that position ­either.

“They will be evolving anyway. They don’t stand still, as no team really does at this level. They will be moving forward.

“I don’t think that’s going to be much of an issue because I don’t see that as an advantage.”

Cheika said he would give Wallabies attack coach Stephen Lark­ham as much time as he wanted to decide whether to remain as coach at the Brumbies or join the Australian coaching staff on a fulltime basis.

“I’m letting him take as much time as he wants to,” Cheika said. “It’s not like he is somewhere else. He is still in Canberra. He is close by. It’s not like he is running away somewhere. It’s a positive result for us either way.”