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After weeks of speculation, Australia coach Mal Meninga has made the toughest decision of his Kangaroos tenure and chosen Nathan Cleary as the halfback to lead the Kangaroos to World Cup glory.
- Cleary will partner Cameron Munster in the halves for the Kangaroos in the knockout games
- Cherry-Evans will act as the side's bench utility
- Australia plays Lebanon in their quarterfinal on Saturday morning (AEDT)
The ongoing battle between Cleary and Cherry-Evans has dominated discussions throughout the tournament, but it will be the Penrith man who feeds the scrums in Saturday morning's (AEDT) quarter-final against Lebanon.
In the end it was familiarity with his Panthers teammates that earned Cleary the start – and Meninga hopes the 24-year-old Blues playmaker will hold the job for many years to come.
"It was more to do with combinations. Nathan works with Isaah [Yeo] and Marto [Liam Martin] on the right edge [at Penrith] and that swung it towards Nath," Meninga said.
"I made sure everyone had an opportunity to play their best footy and put me under pressure to make these decisions.
"I thought both of them did that, I lost some sleepless nights … but you have to make those tough decisions and you have to try and do it for the right reasons.
"It's [Cleary's] jersey now. This is the start of his career in rep footy playing for Australia. I'd like to see him have it for a long period of time."
Cherry-Evans will still take the field at Huddersfield – he will act as the side's bench utility with Meninga opting to rest Ben Hunt – while Cleary is one of many Kangaroos battling illness, but the full squad trained the day before the match and are expected to play.
Now Cleary has won the battle, the focus switches to how Australia can win the war. With the Kangaroos playing a different variety of football to Cleary's Panthers, the challenge for the dual premiership winner is how to adapt his prodigious skill to this new environment.
"We are playing a different style to what Nathan is used too in clubland," Meninga said.
"But he's grown in that sense, finding out there are different ways to play the game of rugby league, there's different ways to be successful. It's not just one way.
"I think he's finding that exciting, to play a bit different to what he's used too, playing in the English conditions will only add to his experience as a player overall."
Cleary's halves partner, Cameron Munster, has no doubt his new halfback can do just that while continuing to play to the strengths – like his powerful kicking game and rugged physicality – that have made him one of the game's biggest names.
"He's a bit similar to Cherry – maybe a bit more structured, but I like how Nath goes about his stuff," Munster said.
"He's super professional, on and off the field, and he works tirelessly on his strengths. When he talks, people listen because he's done so much at a young age and he's brought that form into the Kangaroos.
"He hasn't missed a beat."
While Australia are still favoured to down Lebanon, the Cedars pose an unorthodox challenge for Meninga's side.
Under the coaching of former Wallabies mastermind Michael Cheika, Lebanon have employed a unique style of play that has propelled them to their second quarter-final appearance in as many World Cups.
With star halves Mitch Moses and Adam Doueihi leading the way for Lebanon, Meninga said Australia must be ready for whatever may come.
"We just have to handle it. We've addressed it. We're a footy team that expects the unexpected. We're very aware of who we're playing against and we're very respectful of that," Meninga said.
"They're playing expansive sort of footy, they have some really talented players in their halves, their wingers are playing really well, Jacob Kiraz is playing really well at fullback and there's the aura of Michael Cheika and what rugby union can bring to rugby league.
"I'm sure they'll have some tricks, but we're aware of that. We'll come ready to play and ready to play the Australian way."