Sharing is officially caring in the Kangaroos’ scrumbase shootout as Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans plan to split first receiver duties before Mal Meninga locks in his first-choice halfback.
Cleary and Cherry-Evans’ much-discussed battle for Australia’s top playmaker billing takes on a new dimension against Italy on Saturday (Sunday 5.30am AEDT) when the Origin halfbacks combine for the first time as a halves pairing.
With five-eighth Cameron Munster one of few selection certainties in Meninga’s first-choice 17, Cleary’s 28-point haul on debut against Scotland presents a huge challenge to incumbent halfback Cherry-Evans.
Munster is expected to be rested against the Italians after Cleary confirmed a unique partnership with Cherry-Evans while the pair battle for the one green and gold role.
“We’re going to mix it up a bit,” Cleary said after he and Cherry-Evans’ interchanged at first receiver during Australia’s main field session in Manchester.
“We’ll just see how it’s going and who’s got the flow at the time.
Cherry-Evans and Cleary split the first receiver duties during Australia’s main field session ahead of their World Cup clash with Italy.Credit:Glenn Jackson
“Daly is so good I can float around and work off him, it’s something new for both of us.
“I wear No. 14 and he wears No.2. The idea for us is that we’re wanting to work together as much as we can.
“It’s not going to be so much left and right, split like that.”
For Cleary, the game’s best organising halfback and linchpin in Penrith’s back-to-back premierships, taking a back seat is a foreign footballing concept.
Nathan Cleary scored 28 points against Scotland, almost breaking a record held by Andrew Johns.Credit:Glenn Jackson
Cherry-Evans has played utility roles from the bench earlier in his representative career for Australia and Queensland, and at five-eighth inside Cooper Cronk during the 2014 Four Nations – a campaign that ended in a shock final loss to New Zealand.
Asked how the two natural game managers would avoid overcalling each other, Cleary conceded it remains the great unknown in Australian camp.
“It’s the question that will have to be answered on game day,” he said.
“I thought we did pretty well in training and it’s important that we trained well together and get the confidence that we can do it alongside each other.
Weekend fixtures (all times AEDT)
- Saturday: New Zealand v Ireland (5.30am)
- Sunday: England v Greece (12.30am), Fiji v Scotland (3am), Australia v Italy (5.30am), Lebanon v Jamaica (11pm)
- Monday: Tonga v Cook Islands (1.30am)
“By no means are we trying to outdo each other or anything like that. We want to combine well and do what’s best for the jersey.
“I think that’s been the beauty of this team so far.
“There’s no individuals or ego taking over to try and make themselves look better.
“It’s about the team looking better.”
Meninga is slated to name his side for Australia’s final pool match later on Thursday (AEDT) having long planned to give all 24 squad members two games to press their selection case for the World Cup’s sudden death stages.
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