Given the conservatism of Cheika and his assistants, he may not make it to the squad for the RWC but I think he'll be well and truly in the mix immediately afterwards.
Is he more or less conservative than other coaches? Based on the number of debutantes he's selected since the RWC it's hard to argue he's conservative in his selections.
People seem to argue it on the basis that he doesn't select the players that they want and think are good.
By the same logic, selecting new players that you don't think are good surely that makes him even less conservative.
After the 2019 RWC is a whole different kettle of fish. There'll be a substantial turnover as there is after every RWC.
I do like the notion though that Cheika is a conservative coach on the basis that a guy who has started one Super Rugby game isn't heavily in the frame for the RWC squad in a year's time.