Palu rested, not injured

Editor

Wallabies boss Michael Cheika is hoping to get the best out of Wycliff Palu in the long run by resting him from the Rugby Championship.

The 32-year-old Waratahs number eight was one of nine players cut from the original 40-man squad Cheika named last month on Friday.

Palu has struggled with injuries over the years and Cheika, who knows Palu well from his time at the 'Tahs, wants to make sure he is fighting fit for the Rugby World Cup.

Cheika added that Palu would get some game time towards the end of the Rugby Championship.

“He’s fully fit – there’s no issue there around injury,” Cheika told AAP.

“I’ve got to know him over the last few years and, to get the best out of Cliff in the longer run, would be to give him three or four weeks right now to get his body right to go.

“It’s not like we don’t have some handy players in that position. (Scott) Higginbotham has been excellent this week and we’ve also got Ben McCalman coming back from injury, so we’ve got plenty of good players there.

“I think it’s a double-edged victory for us in that those guys will get to play footy and Wycliff will get to prepare himself and he’ll get an opportunity definitely at some stage later on in the Rugby Championship.”