Rugby union: Michael Cheika names Wallabies squad for tests against South Africa and Argentina

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika gives smallest of hints fullback Israel Folau may play outside centre against the Springboks.

Wallabies coach Michael Chieka has named his squad ahead of Saturday’s test against the Springboks in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has given the smallest of hints that fullback Israel Folau may play outside centre against the Springboks in Brisbane on Saturday night after naming five wingers in a 33-man squad.

There were four wingers in the 33-man squad for the opening two Tests of the Rugby Championship against the All Blacks in Sydney and Wellington — Adam Ashley-Cooper, Dane Haylett-Petty, Rob Horne and Drew Mitchell.

Israel Folau. Picture: Annette Dew

But with Horne injured and Ashley-Cooper returned to France, Cheika has brought three new wingers into the squad — Henry Speight, Luke Morahan and Sefa Naivalu.

While the Wallabies have lost two inside centres, Matt Giteau and Matt Toomua to injury, Cheika has only added one inside centre, Kyle Godwin.

This indicates that Cheika is considering moving Folau to outside centre, Haylett-Petty to fullback and starting a new winger, most likely Mitchell if he has overcome a groin injury.

Even though he has been injured Mitchell has been with the Walabies since they assembled several weeks ago.

Speight has only just returned from injury after focusing on trying to make Australia’s sevens squad for the Rio Olympics, while Morahan is match fit.

The Fijian born Naivalu will not be eligible for the Wallabies until the day after their Test against Argentina in Perth on Saturday week, but has been included in the squad to train ahead of his eligibility for the away Tests against South Africa and the Pumas.

But the inclusion of another winger rather than a centre for training purposes also suggests Folau could be in line for a move to outside centre.

Cheika takes opposed training sessions into account when he selects a squad, indicating Folau was being considered as an extra midfielder rather than fullback.

While Cheika has been reluctant to move Folau to outside centre — where he now plays for the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby — he may now feel he needs to do so to inject some penetration into the midfield.

The midfield has been a problem area for the Wallabies this year with Cheika fielding four different combinations in the last five Tests.

The other new face in the Wallabies squad is second rower Rory Arnold, who has recovered from an elbow injury.

Arnold has replaced backrower Ben McCalman, who aggravated a shoulder injury in the Wallabies’ 42-8 loss to the All Blacks in Sydney.

Wallabies 33-man squad for The Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina

Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Quade Cooper, Kane Douglas, Scott Fardy, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Kyle Godwin*, James Hanson, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Sean McMahon, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore (c), Luke Morahan, Dean Mumm, Sefa Naivalu*, Nick Phipps, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson*, Rob Simmons’, Scott Sio, Will Skelton, Henry Speight, James Slipper, Lopeti Timani*. *denotes uncapped player