Tuesday 22 September 2015 15:59, UK
Australia head coach Michael Cheika says selecting both Michael Hooper and David Pocock for their Rugby World Cup opener against Fiji on Wednesday was not a tough decision.
The duo are both usually openside flankers but are so highly-regarded that they will both feature from the start at the Millennium Stadium, with Pocock wearing the No 8 shirt.
And Cheika said the pair are playing so well that he felt compelled to include them both from the start.
"It's pretty hard not to pick one of them," said Cheika. "It sort of means you pick them both.
"I am not trying to claim there is any brilliant rocket science behind it, you just have two very good players.
"The way they've played throughout the Super Rugby season and in the rugby internationals, either together or separately, has forced the coach's hand, and that is exactly what you want from players."
Fiji coach John McKee is not at all surprised by Cheika's decision.
"We suspected Australia would go with Hooper and Pocock in the back row," he said.
"That was the combination that was so successful in the Bledisloe Cup game in Sydney [against New Zealand] just over a month ago, so they've gone with that again, and it gives them good mobility in the back row."
Having been beaten by England on Friday, qualification for the last eight will effectively be beyond Fiji if they cannot upset the Wallabies.
McKee said: "Twickenham was a massive challenge for us, with it being their home ground, and doubling up as the opening game and ceremony.
"But our first game is behind us now and, although we have another massive game coming up, we won't have those first game jitters.
"The boys are well aware of the pressures around the game, but I don't think those pressures will match the pressure of playing England at Twickenham in the opening game."
As for Australia, they have not played yet at the World Cup and are itching to get their tournament up and running.
Captain Stephen Moore said: "We've been training really hard for a number of weeks, and there has been big competition for a number of spots.
"Every team has been competitive in this tournament. Everyone is talking about the Japan result (against South Africa), but Uruguay and Argentina have been really impressive and it shows just how much preparation has been put into this tournament.
"We are pretty keen to get out there now. We will be blowing pretty hard in that first-half, but we've trained as close as we can to game intensity."
