Michael Cheika is reluctant to heed fresh calls to shift Israel Folau to the centres as the Wallabies travel to Wellington striving to arrest their worst losing streak in more than a decade.

Mavericks. Square pegs for round holes, the luxuries coaches feel they cannot afford. Most team sports have them, a Matt Le Tissier who can delight supporters with his skills but infuriate managers with the risks that inevitably come attached.

Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has launched an audacious bid to see his three-time European champions join the Aviva Premiership.

Champions Cup

Twenty years, 421 games, six titles.

Keeping up with the blur of moves made by players this past year or so has been an impossible task, but the scale of the migrations and the quality of the players involved are evident just from those involving Leinster’s Champions Cup pool opponents this term.

More than rugby pride is at stake when Australia and New Zealand clash in this afternoon’s World Cup final Remember when your little brother or sister beat you for the first time?

STAT OF THE DAY

Ronan O’Gara analyses all the big issues at the Rugby World Cup.

THE famed twin towers may no longer be standing but Wembley remains an intoxicating sports arena for players and fans alike, writes Donal Lenihan. Why else would a world record attendance for a Rugby World Cup game be broken two Sundays in succession? 

Australia 63 Uruguay 3: Australia head coach Michael Cheika has refused to stoke the fires of controversy ahead of an anticipated titanic World Cup tussle with England.

Maybe there will have to be a law against Toulon, one denouncing them as bad for business because they are too good for everyone else.

Before looking forward to the inaugural Champions Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday, I feel compelled to examine the implications of an announcement last week that attracted minimal attention on this side of the world.

England held their nerve in the face of a second-half fightback by Australia to end a frustrating autumn with a vital 26-17 victory at Twickenham.

An hour has passed since the last act and yet the beads of sweat still pop off Mike Ross’s temple like popcorn in a microwave.

Simon Zebo goes into this evening’s match between Ireland and Australia knowing he and his team-mates are facing some of the best players in the game.

Nine months. Give or take a few days. That was more or less the time Kitch Christie had to fashion a team of world champions when he took over from Ian McIntosh as Springboks coach in October of 1994.

Despite all the upheaval, history has shown the Aussies are a resilient bunch.

On another day, Jake Schatz would have been a great story.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has seen Michael Cheika make his mark on teams in Dublin, Paris and Sydney, and the one constant he expects to have been passed on to the Wallabies by their new boss is a collective work ethic.

Quade Cooper believes Australia must find a new “identity” under Michael Cheika to move on from the Kurtley Beale saga.

Wales 28 Australia 33

Maintaining mental fitness requires work and skill development in the same way as maintaining our physical fitness does.

Barbarians 36 Australia 40

Australia have reunited Quade Cooper and Will Genia at half-back for tomorrow’s non-cap international against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

A star-studded Wallaby and All Black combined team could face the British and Irish Lions next November.

Dan Lydiate has no doubt that Wales will be “ready to go” for their RBS 6 Nations title defence this season.

Ireland’s hopes of spoiling New Zealand’s perfect season could be decided tomorrow — 24 hours before the sides are due to clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Luke Marshall has accepted full responsibility for Australia’s pivotal third try in Ireland’s 32-15 defeat on Saturday – and pledged not to repeat his mistake.

Well, at least Ireland’s new management team has a very clear picture of the enormity of the task facing them in their new roles.

Youth and inexperience may act as buffers against the worst strains of criticism in most walks of life, but not in rugby. Not in an arena where the only numbers that matter are those on your back.

Ireland 15 Australia 32

Ireland manager Joe Schmidt has admitted that Jonathan Sexton’s hamstring injury will leave him a big doubt for Ireland’s final Guinness Series autumn international against New Zealand.

Ireland 15 Australia 32

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL:

Peter O’Mahony has come a long way from his first brush with the Wallabies back in 2010.

At the time, Quade Cooper’s omission from the Wallabies squad that faced the British and Irish Lions was painted as a disaster for the series.

Results, not revenge, is Brian O’Driscoll’s motivation as he eyes his final Test against the Wallabies tomorrow.

Whisper it. There’s something special brewing in Irish rugby

Eoin Reddan must produce a performance worthy of scrum-half rival Conor Murray’s expectations against Australia, believes Ireland boss Joe Schmidt.

Eoin Reddan could be in line for a recall to the Ireland team to face Australia with head coach Joe Schmidt weighing up whether to relegate Lions scrum-half Conor Murray to the bench for Saturday’s Aviva Stadium Test.

Rob Kearney will not be carrying any baggage from his personal Lions disappointments when he finally gets to face Australia on Saturday.