Jones puts faith in league trio
The Australian Rugby Union splashed out two million dollars (1.16m) in luring the three backs from the 13-man code and for the first time they have all been picked by Wallaby coach Eddie Jones.
Sailor and Rogers moved across in 2002, and Tuqiri followed this season. Tuqiri was picked on the wing for the injured Joe Roff, Sailor is on the other wing, while Rogers partners Elton Flatley in midfield as part of the 12th different Test centre combination since the 1999 World Cup.
Judging by the South Africa Tests which opened this year's Tri Nations series, Australia have a long way to go to match New Zealand. Australia lost 26-22 in South Africa two weeks ago while New Zealand followed that up with a record, seven-try 52-16 win over the Springboks.
"It was the most comprehensive performance by any southern hemisphere team this season," Jones conceded.
New Zealand's backs, world class against the Springboks, will test the Australian defence to the limit.
Fiji-born Joe Rokocoko, hailed as the new Jonah Lomu, has already scored seven tries in his first four international appearances.
"I may be a bit small, but in such matches it's more a matter of how big your heart is," he said.
Jones has also decided to use two breakaway flankers by recalling George Smith to partner Phil Waugh to compete with an All Black back row led by the enormously athletic Richard McCaw.
Jones denied the move was a gamble even though his selection leaves Australia's already vulnerable lineout with few noted jumpers.
He insisted Smith, who replaces the inconsistent David Lyons, had all the skills and strength to make the same impact at No. 6 as at openside.
"George Smith is a world-class flanker now he may in fact be a better blind-side flanker than he is an open side," Jones said.
"During the Super 12 series he worked on his ball-running skills and I think that, playing at blind side he is going to give us that as well as a strong contest at the tackle and very good defence."
McCaw was looking forward to the challenge.
"We'll have to stop them somehow," said McCaw who summed up just how important these matches are in the trans-Tasman rivalry.
"Heaps ... the Bledisloe Cup outweighs the Tri Nations at times."
Bledisloe Cup matches are traditionally tight, nerve-wracking affairs and New Zealand have decided to go back to the wise old head of 62-cap Justin Marshall at scrum-half instead of Australian-born Steve Devine, who had a good game in South Africa for his sixth cap.
New Zealand have not won the Bledisloe Cup since 1997 and they say they will not hold anything back for the World Cup.
"We'll throw everything into it. We've come here to succeed. It's very important to us that we get a result this weekend," All Black assistant coach Robbie Deans said.
Jones was playing his cards closer to his chest.
"You definitely don't show your full hand," he said. "These games are very important in picking up experience."
He feels that the Tri Nations is an invaluable build-up to the World Cup. Australia have won seven of the past 10 matches against New Zealand, including three of the past four encounters in Sydney.
But they know they will have to start better than they did against the Boks when they trailed 20-10 at half-time.
Of the 30 Tests since 1996 in which the Wallabies have been behind at half-time, they have come back to win only eight. But they have not lost a single Test after leading at the interval since being overhauled by New Zealand at Brisbane in 1996.
Australia and New Zealand could play each other in the World Cup semi-finals in Sydney on November 15.
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