Aussies set for battle

Michael Cheika said the "real physical business" was about to begin for Australia, after they marked the start of their European tour with a dramatic 40-36 win over the Barbarians in his first game as Wallaby coach.

The weekend’s match at Twickenham was a non-cap international, but next weekend marks the first of four full Tests in as many weeks — when Australia face Wales, rivals at next year’s World Cup in England. at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Once that is out of the way, Cheika’s men travel to Paris, then Dublin and finally return to Twickenham to finish off with the little matter of Stuart Lancaster’s England — also in the same 2015 World Cup ‘group of death’.