Recalled Wallabies lock Rob Simmons has been challenged by coach Michael Cheika to fulfil his potential, and will shoulder the enormous task of outpointing Ireland's dangerous lineout to keep Australia's grand slam bid alive.
Simmons retained his spot in Cheika's starting side to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday (0430 Sunday AEDT), with the coach sticking largely to the same first-choice line-up with eked out a win against Scotland a fortnight ago.
While on paper there are sweeping changes from the Wallabies' last-start win over France, the side Cheika hopes will end a 32-year wait for another sweep of the British and Irish teams.
The imposing figure of Ireland's 210cm lineout wizard Devin Toner - the chief architect of the stunning upset of the All Blacks three weeks ago - was enough to convince Cheika to bolster his jumping options by adding Dean Mumm in the only tactical change from the Scotland match.
Mumm has been named at openside flanker while champion ball-fetcher David Pocock reverts to No.8 and Lopeti Timani drops back to a nine-man bench.
The experienced and versatile Mumm is acutely aware of the threat posed by the Irish lineout.
"It's a tremendous lineout, it's also a springboard for the way they want to play, a lot of their attack and structures are based on a very successful lineout," Mumm said on Thursday.
"It is one of the best lineouts going around in world rugby at the moment.
"It's a massive challenge for us collectively as a lineout."
The home side sprung one surprise by naming the 116kg Iain Henderson alongside Toner, in place of the veteran Donnacha Ryan, in a move Mumm expects will dictate the physical style they'll employ.
"Henderson is a tremendous player, obviously the influence he had throughout last year, he had a terrific World Cup," Mumm said.
"It goes to show a little in terms of the way they want to play, there's a physicality they want to bring to the game because that certainly something he can bring."
Cheika has recalled his settled front row of Scott Sio, captain Stephen Moore and Sekope Kepu, following a difficult night of scrum collapses against France for Australia's back-up crew.
The raft of penalties and crucial turnovers at the scrum very nearly cost the Wallabies dearly, and led Cheika to suggest his team wasn't being rewarded for its honest approach at scrumtime.
He says they will continue to scrum straight, but has one definite piece of advice for his pack to avoid giving away penalties on Saturday.
"No matter what the situation is, stay up," he siad.
"That way it makes it easier for the ref - there's usually no penalties at that point.
"That's the objective. That's what they want us to do, obviously. So that's what we're trying to do."
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