The Wallabies have declared their faith in international novice Tane Edmed after a rare last-minute change of heart over their team to face the world champions in their daunting Rugby Championship opener against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Captain Harry Wilson says the team have a "lot of confidence" in the one-cap playmaker, who has been brought into the 23 on the eve-of-Test by coach Joe Schmidt as both bench cover for veteran No.10 James O'Connor and a potentially key playmaking alternative.
And the skipper reckons Schmidt will have a few tricks up his sleeve when the Wallabies seek to end a 62-year victory drought at the Springboks' Ellis Park citadel.
Eyebrows were raised when Schmidt announced his team on Thursday with no specialist flyhalf back-up for 35-year-old O'Connor, who's been recalled for his first Test in three years.
Schmidt had suggested scrumhalf Nic White or outside back Andrew Kellaway could fill in even though neither have played in that pivotal position in their distinguished careers.
But after an overnight rethink, Schmidt evidently decided it was too much of a gamble as he named Edmed on the replacements' bench in place of the originally selected replacement loose forward, Nick Champion de Crespigny.
Now, if the Wallabies stick by their original plan to have O'Connor playing just the first half, Edmed would come on for the second 40, having previously played only three minutes as a replacement before he got injured against Ireland in Dublin late last year.
Wilson doesn't see it as a gamble. "We've got a lot of confidence in him. He's been around the group now for a little while, and what he's put on the training park has been first-class," said the skipper.
"He's training consistently well, and that should give him a lot of confidence to go out there and do the job."
Schmidt's late volte face was a highly unusual move after his team had already been named, even though the New Zealander did signal he might ponder a late switch after Ben Donaldson, his original replacement 10, got injured late in their training session on Thursday.
Now, what had originally been listed as a surprise 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench has again reverted to the originally planned 5-3.
Schmidt has always enjoyed pitting his wits against the mighty Boks with some success down the years, leaving Wilson to suggest: "I guess Joe's always got something up his sleeve.
"He's, as we all know, a very clever coach, always cooking up something for the weekend.
"It's just about us doing our basics well, and then with little tricks up our sleeve, we'll let them come."
The altitude at Ellis Park will favour the hosts. "You'd be lying if you said you haven't felt it," admitted Wilson.
"We've trained at pretty high intensity this week, preparing for it, and it is something different. But versing the Springboks anywhere is always going to be tough. These are new conditions, which we've prepared for and are ready for.
"It's really exciting for us. We felt like we started building a little bit of momentum in the Lions series, and we're improving as a squad.
"We've gone back to our basics, we've prepared well this week, and now we've got the opportunity to go out there at Ellis Park, such a famous rugby stadium, and verse the world champions. We cannot wait for the opportunity."
