London: The Wallabies are hoping for a triple injection of good news after their World Cup escape against Scotland, with David Pocock running pain free for the first time in a week and Israel Folau set to test his injured ankle on Tuesday.
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But Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says the biggest hurdle facing his team is finding the self-belief to rise above the walking wounded and "go on and do something" in the last two weeks of the tournament.
The Wallabies will take a cautious approach with players carrying niggling injuries this week as they prepare to play Argentina in a semi-final at Twickenham on Sunday (Monday morning AEDT).
The Wallabies are still waiting on scan results on prop Scott Sio's elbow, with the front-rower in danger of missing the rest of the tournament if they show significant damage.
Cheika challenged his players to show unwavering belief in their World Cup goal, regardless of injured players or external factors.
"The biggest hurdle for us is to believe that we actually deserve to go on and do something," Cheika said.
"I think that self-belief is a key factor for us now to go on, because maybe at this stage we still don't believe enough. It can happen on a day to day basis by doing those small things.
"As for [Pocock and Folau], I'd like to think we're going to have our strongest squad available and that they're more chance of playing than not."
Sio was struggling to move his right arm the morning after the Wallabies' tense quarter-final escape, where Bernard Foley booted an 80th minute penalty to steal a one-point win against Scotland last weekend.
Given there are only two weeks left of the World Cup, the Wallabies would need to decide whether Sio could recover in time or if they need to call in reinforcements from Australia.
"He's got a massive hematoma on his elbow, he's got no range at all," Cheika said of Sio.
"The hematoma will go down and that will give him more range. It will all be about has there been damage done to his elbow and will he be able to perform his job."
Pocock's absence was felt the most as the Wallabies struggled to impose themselves at the breakdown against Scotland.
The 27-year-old has won the most turnovers of any player in the World Cup, missing two of Australia's five games.
He ran without pain on Sunday and it is hoped he will be able to return to the starting side against Argentina.
"[Pocock] has a strain there in one of the sections of his calf," Cheika said.
"He has run [on Sunday] pain free which is always a good sign with that injury. Often … it's about the return to play and how you manage it because if you don't it will recur.
"We've been really conscious of that and making sure we don't push too hard. We're in the last 12-13 days [of the World Cup now, we know we've got the groundwork done so we don't need to push anyone. We just need to make sure everyone's right."
Kurtley Beale showed he could capably fill Folau's boots and Ben McCalman had another strong game in replacing Pocock.
Asked if the Wallabies could win the World Cup without Pocock, Cheika said: "I've got to think about whether we can win on Sunday, not the World Cup.
"The target is still a way away yet and Sunday is a very, very big day in relation to getting to that goal.
"I think that the team has got a certain depth that I've really enjoyed. I think McCalman had a great game … we've been able to change a few different players around … I believe that when you believe something can happen, you can do anything."
