The Wallabies host a settled South African XV to Brisbane in a clash which is certain to demonstrate just where Australian rugby currently stands.
The newly introduced ARU rules for overseas players sees both Giteau and Mitchell included in the matchday squad, with Giteau getting the nod at inside centre while Mitchell has to be content with a place on the bench. Rob Horne's goood form throughout the 2015 Super Rugby season sees him hold of the challenge of Mitchell to join Adam Ashley-Cooper and Folau is a dangerous looking back three.
Brumbies sensation Tevita Kuridrani completes the backline at 13 with the proven combination of Genia and Cooper orchestrating events from half back. Cooper's recent injuries have only seen him play five times in this years Super Rugby competition, his inclusion in the starting XV completing a Toulon 10-12 combination.
Bernard Foley can count himself as unlucky not to make the squad at all with Matt Toomua's versatility ensuring his place on the bench.
The pack has a familiar edge to it with Higginbotham and Fardy partnering Hooper in the back-row, seeing the Waratahs openside beating Pocock to the starting jersey. Expect Cheika to play these guys off each other and get the best out of them, having two of the world's best opensides in his squad will not be lost on the former Leinster Head coach.
Stephen Moore captains the team from Hooker, with Slipper and Kepu on either side of him, while wreckball Will Skelton and Simmons fill up the second-row.
The South African side has a familiar feel to it with le Roux, Pietersen and Habana at the back. A lot of the Springbok's future hopes have been placed on the shoulders of Jessie Kriel, who starts his first tests at outside centre. The Bulls utility back has been talked up big time in the press by South African coach Heyneke Meyer, seeing him as a Springbok legend in the making.
Pienaar and Pollard form their half back partnership once again with Schalk Burger surprisingly making the move to number eight. Coetzee and Louw finish off the back row with Etzebeth and Matfield in the rows.
The Du Plessis brothers and Mtawaria finish off the team to form a brutally athletic front row.
The presence of former captains Horwill and Pocock on the bench for the Wallabies is reflective of the strength in Australian rugby right now. Expect a performance from the Wallabies, expect open, expansive and threatening attacking rugby. From South Africa expect aggressive and direct rugby from their pack combined with wide and fast rugby from their backline. The South African pack will dominate all but the breakdown with Hooper undoubtedly set to make a big impact. Pocock will get on early in the second half and the double edged sword of himself and Hooper will give Australia they ball they need, the rest is in the unpredictable hands of the Cooper-Giteau axis.
Prediction: Australia 29 South Africa 23
The match is live on Sky Sports at 11:05(GMT) this Saturday.
South Africa:
15 Willie le Roux
14 JP Pietersen
13 Jesse Kriel
12 Damian de Allende
11 Bryan Habana
10 Handré Pollard
9 Ruan Pienaar
8 Schalk Burger
7 Marcell Coetzee
6 Francois Louw
5 Victor Matfield (c)
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Jannie du Plessis
2 Bismarck du Plessis
1 Tendai Mtawarira.
16 Adriaan Strauss
17 Heinke van der Merwe
18 Frans Malherbe
19 Lodewyk de Jager
20 Teboho Mohoje
21 Cobus Reinach
22 Pat Lambie
23 Lwazi Mvovo
Australia:
15 Israel Folau
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper
13 Tevita Kuridrani
12 Matt Giteau
11 Rob Horne
10 Quade Cooper
9 Will Genia
8 Scott Higginbotham
7 Michael Hooper
6 Scott Fardy
5 Rob Simmons
4 Will Skelton
3 Sekope Kepu
2 Stephen Moore (c)
1 James Slipper
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
17 Scott Sio
18 Greg Holmes
19 James Horwill
20 David Pocock
21 Nick Phipps
22 Matt Toomua
23 Drew Mitchell
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