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Australia’s David Pocock ruled out of rest of series against England
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The Number 8 suffered a fractured eye socket in their 39-28 defeat at the SunCorp stadium
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Liam Gill, Ben McCalman, Wycliff Palu and Sean McMahon are in contention to replace Pocock.
Australia have suffered a major blow in the wake of their first Test defeat by England in Brisbane.
It was revealed on Sunday morning that their David Pocock, their outstanding No 8, has been ruled out of the reminder of the series with a fractured eye socket.
“We got the final confirmation this morning but we’ll just wait and see how the day pans out around what we might take into next week’s game,” Cheika said.
“We’ll have a look at some options that we have. We have the option of staying with what we’ve got or if we want to bring in almost a like-for-like go with Liam Gill.
“There’s options that have got experience in the front row, so we’re fortunate there but at the same time disappointed to lose a player of David’s quality.
“The skills he brings to the game and that dynamic that we have in the back-row with himself Michael and Scott. We’ll probably create a different type of complementary nature now. We could go like-for-like … it depends.”
Pocock is believed to have sustained the damage in a cleanout in the final minutes of the 39-28 first Test tumble to England on Saturday night in Brisbane.
Bringing an onballer into the mix would give hope to Liam Gill being called up for next Saturday night’s second Test in Melbourne on the bench.