Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has turned up the heat on his players, declaring this weekend's Super Rugby round can help decide several key positions for next week's first Test against Ireland.
Chelka on Wednesday named a 33-man squad containing five uncapped players for the three-match series against the Six Nations grand slam champions starting in Brisbane on June 9.
Some of the candidates for spots will go head-to-head in the Queensland Reds-NSW Waratahs derby in Brisbane on Saturday, while the Melbourne Rebels play the Blues in Auckland the same day and the Brumbies host the Sunwolves on Sunday.
"We want to have a look at this weekend's footy as well," said Cheika, when asked how close he was to settling on a starting side.
"Some of the positions are very tight. Front row is extremely tight, the back three as well the back row is very competitive.
" I think the locks, I know (suspended Rory) Arnold won't be available, but (Rob) Simmons has been in a rich vein of form these last few weeks and (Izack) Rodda has been playing excellent footy and Adam (Coleman) has been leading well down in Melbourne..
"It's going to be a really good contest for the first 15 spots.
The Reds' Samu Kerevi is looking forward to coming up against potential Wallabies centre partner Kurtley Beale on Saturday.
"I'll definitely be targeting him, testing out the shoulders," Kerevi quipped.
Very recent form swayed Cheika to include uncapped fullback-wing Tom Banks in the squad.
"He wasn't going to be picked a month ago," said Cheika, who was impressed by Banks's form in the Brumbies last two games in South Africa.
"The contributions he's made in those games...he's been playing well but he's really powered up towards the end of the season."
'Cheika has placed a priority on his team team's work ethic.
"They (Ireland) )are a team that works hard and we've got to work harder," Cheika said.
"Getting to things first, wanting to be at things first and then getting to the next thing after that straight away.
I think if we start off with that, especially with the short turnarounds and focus on that, it will go a long way towards helping us win."
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