Michael Hooper, Isi Naisarani and David Pocock

It worked for them four years ago and once again the Wallabies are set to unleash breakdown specialist David Pocock alongside Captain Michael Hooper against Fiji.

Fox Sports has reported it’s understood the duo will feature in a back-row featuring Rebels Number 8 Isi Naisarani, with blindside flanker Lukhan Salakaia-Loto to come off the bench.

Interestingly, Pocock and Hooper started at No 7 and No 8 in the Wallabies’ opening match against Fiji four years in Cardiff, where they won 28-13 and Pocock scored a double.

Elsewhere, Exeter Chiefs halfback Nic White and departing Brumbies captain Christian Lealiifano appear set to resume their halves combination after both men were rested for the recent 34-15 victory over Samoa earlier this month.

Tolu Latu has been given the first crack at hooker, with Jordan Uelese, who played his first Test in almost two years against Samoa, his deputy.

The rest of the team resembles the one that played the All Blacks in the drawn Bledisloe series.

But it’s the decision to start Pocock in the back-row which is the biggest talking point of Cheika’s team to take on the Flying Fijians, which will be officially announced on Thursday.

The duo were two of the headline acts at the World Cup in the United Kingdom, combining together to destroy opposition breakdowns and helped pilot the Wallabies to the World Cup final.

It is there they were given the ‘Pooper’ title.

But the limitations of playing the duo in the same back-row were somewhat exposed during the final, where the powerful All Blacks pack gained ascendancy in the contact zone.