Fraser McReight is embracing the challenge of a pilfer-hungry English pack in a quest to recapture the magic from last year.
England have named a side stacked with openside flankers, with all five back-rowers primarily playing their club (or Test) careers with the number seven on their backs.
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Sam Underhill will start in the role, with club teammate Guy Pepper also spending time there for England during their tour of the Americas.
Number eight Ben Earl plays there for the club side Saracens, Tom Curry started all three games there for the British & Irish Lions, whilst Henry Pollock guided England to U20 Six Nations and World Championship success in the role.
It leaves McReight as the sixth and lone ‘seven’ for the Wallabies, on guard for an assault on the breakdown.
“They've picked basically five sevens, mobile, can all carry, jackal and tackle really well so they're definitely a huge threat," he told reporters.
“A lot of the boys coming off some really competitive footy [for] Lions and playing in a great Prem competition up here. They're going to be up and about and ready for the first game of the Autumn Nations, but so are we.
“…If you compare that to a big French team where you know they're going to carry…the players that they've selected are very skilful. They can pass, they can have great footwork, they’ll be great in the wider channels, but the way that England like to play means the acceleration, the kicking games, they’re going to be in every contest.
“They're going to be threats on the ground so for us we're going to have to be ruthless at sort of making sure we secure our own ball every time.”
The Wallabies head to Twickenham once again as the underdogs with a host of players unavailable for selection either due to injury or the game falling outside of the international window.
It’s a similar scenario to last year, with Schmidt’s all-Australian-based team getting the job done after the siren.
“I was fortunate enough that I had my mum and dad and my brother in the stands,” McReight said. “To have them there and to get a really special win, which I think it was 10 years prior before we won last in Twickenham and just what it meant for the group.
“I think prior to that we only had James Slipper who had won at Twickenham. So it meant a lot for the group and to see where that's taken us and slingshot us into the Lions and South Africa, it's been massive.”
McReight is one of several returning stars that missed the win over Japan alongside prop Allan Alaalatoa, who missed the majority of the Rugby Championship with a shoulder injury before returning for the Bledisloe Cup.
“I feel like I'm getting there,” he added.
"I got put through my paces a bit throughout the year to come back and try and make the Rugby Championship at some stage and I think that recovery has gone really well.
“I came back earlier than expected, so in really good shape and ready to go this weekend.”
