7 Aug 2013

Wallabies pivots vie for vacant spot

7:18 am on 7 August 2013

Three very different first fives have three more days to persuade the new Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie they have what it takes to face the All Blacks.

McKenzie has already made it clear he won't be going with the incumbent James O'Connor for Australia's first Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship game against the All Blacks in Sydney on Saturday week.

While he's widely expected to reinstate his Queensland Reds playmaker Quade Cooper as the Wallabies pivot, McKenzie is yet to show his hand and the young Brumbies star Matt Toomua and New South Wales' Bernard Foley may be fighting for a bench spot in camp in Sydney this week.

McKenzie will cull the squad to 30 on Friday, with no guarantee all three will make the cut.

The Wallabies skipper James Horwill says his players are looking forward to a new era of test rugby under their new coach.

After Robbie Deans' sacking last month, Horwill says they're ready for a new start.

The Wallabies haven't won the Bledisloe Cup in 10 years.