He included Tui in his selections and Hanigan who should be available for the second test.
Clearly there were more 6/8 options available that were better lineout options than Timu and Samu but Cheika presumably thinks those two offer more overall and he'll have a better team with the options he has than the players he's left out.
If we get punished at the lineout on the weekend with the expected backrow then that will be a fault in the selections (unless the backrow chosen adds enough elsewhere to overcome that). If the lineout functions well and the backrow goes well in other facets then the selections will have paid off.
Both Tui and Hanigan would give better line out options.
When you say "will have paid off" though, it is a gamble. Sometimes when you gamble you win. This doesn't make it prudent.
TBH with the Irish not seeming to target the touchline with their kicking the risk is mediated. It still means we have a need for our best lock line out merchants on the park - agree this means Simmons, probably with Coleman. And Rodda from the bench does not mean we lose much.
Probably bigger concerns lie in the D patterns, especially the barn dance and how complex Grey makes it on this occassion. D shifts from set piece are one thing, in general play another. The Irish will relish attacking that transfer. If we see any of Genia/Foley/Beale changing to the back at turnover, expect the box kick with chasers to test it.
