Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is happy with Australia's depth despite the mostly mediocre form of Australia's battling Super Rugby franchises.
Cheika says there's heaps of players looking for an opportunity and he won't be scared to throw the rookies into the cauldron of June's three-Test home series against newly-crowned Six Nations champions England.
He wasn't buying into the negativity about Super Rugby or worried about talk from overseas from the likes of former Wallabies five-eighth Michael Lynagh that England would sweep the Wallabies aside.
"If that's the attitude we're just going to have to live with that aren't we and have our own reality inside the team that says we've got other things that we want to achieve," Cheika said on Wednesday.
"People may not believe in us, but we need to believe in ourselves."
He said on he would look at blooding newer players if his European-based veterans were not available or fatigued at the end of a long season.
"I'm certainly not going to be complaining about depth at all," Cheika said.
"We've got heaps of players that are looking for the opportunity to put their hand up and make a statement.
"I won't be scared to give guys a game, but they have to show that they deserve that game.
"I'm not going to give them a game because `oh well, let's try someone new.'
"The more they play consistently well individually in their teams, the more chance they are of getting selected."
Locally, backs who to have caught Cheika's eye are former rugby league international and AFL player Karmichael Hunt and fellow Queensland Reds back Samu Kerevi and Western Force fullback Dane Haylett-Petty.
Among the overseas domiciled players Cheika could look at for the England series are France-based backs Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, who both started in last year's World Cup final against New Zealand.
Other Wallabies incumbents who have subsequently moved to Europe and are eligible to continue representing Australia are prop Sekope Kepu, halfback Will Genia and utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Cheika recently caught up with some of his overseas-based stars on a trip to Europe, where he watched some of the Six Nations games.
"All the guys that I saw are keen to continue playing for Australia," Cheika said on Wednesday.
"It's going to be about, like with all players, No.1: form and then No.2: it's about the load as well.
"Let's see who's playing through to June and who is in finals over there so we can get the right balance for the season.
"Guys who have had a full season, it's unlikely they will be playing in June and I think that's a good opportunity for us to get some new players in because we're very keen to grow the base of players that can really contribute to the team.
"The only way to do that is to give them opportunities and then after they (the overseas-based players) have had a bit of a break at the end of their season, we'll look at selection for the Rugby Championship."
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