LONDON (Reuters) - Australia named an unchanged team on Thursday to face England as coach Michael Cheika predicted his team faced being bullied at Twickenham on Saturday.
Only loose forward Lopeti Timani has been added to the replacements bench as Cheika kept faith with the line-up that defeated Wales 29-21 in Cardiff last weekend.
“Obviously, England are a big side, strong, they are a very powerful side, they will try bully us around," Cheika told reporters on Thursday.
Traditionally, that's the way they game has gone. They try to bully us at scrum, at the lineout and at the ruck - trying to niggle, trying to get into our halfback after he passes, the (flyhalf) after he passes, waiting for us to crack,” he added.
“They've very good players so they take opportunities when they come. They're very disciplined with their game plan. The fact they are unified behind that strategy means we're going to have to look them in the eye and take them on if we're going to be able to resist that."
Lock Adam Coleman retained his place despite injuring his thumb in the victory over Wales, the first game of the Wallabies' three-match British tour.
“He is not a 100 per cent. I would be lying if said he was 100 and you know I never lie. I would say he got through today pretty good, better than I thought, and we would not pick him if we did not think he could do his job. He is a tough lad,” added Cheika.
Former captain Stephen Moore will play his 128th test if he comes off the bench, making him the seventh most-capped international. It is his penultimate match as he retires after next week’s game against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Australia are seeking to end a run of four successive defeats by England.
The Wallabies last beat England in 2015, 33-13 at Twickenham in the Rugby World Cup on their way to finishing runners-up.
Team: 15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Marika Koroibete, 13-Tevita Kuridrani, 12-Samu Kerevi, 11-Reece Hodge, 10-Bernard Foley, 9-Will Genia, 8-Sean McMahon, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Ned Hanigan, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rob Simmons, 3-Sekope Kepu, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Scott Sio
Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Allan Alaalatoa, 19-Matt Philip, 20-Ben McCalman, 21-Lopeti Timani, 22-Nick Phipps, 23-Karmichael Hunt, 24-Henry Speight.
One replacement to be omitted on Friday.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ed Osmond)
