Either leave him behind or take a gamble and put him on a plane to Japan for the Rugby World Cup. This back-and-forth business needs to end.

There's no clarity off the field nor on it, especially after Australia's near record loss to the All Blacks on Saturday.

The Wallabies will be sweating on the fitness of Pocock after blowing their best chance in a decade to claim the Bledisloe Cup with a pathetic 36-0 loss at Eden Park.

Pocock came agonisingly close to making a long-awaited return against the All Blacks, but coach Michael Cheika held him back from the rival clash with the World Cup starting next month.

It looks like the Wallabies are set to take a gamble and throw him into the international deep end when Cheika names Australia's World Cup squad on Friday.

But you can't hand him a Wallabies jersey for the World Cup opener and expect him to work his magic straight-off the bat after playing just two-and-a-half matches in eight months.

There's no denying Pocock has been one of the world's best flanker for more than a decade. There's no denying he can handle the international stage.

Pocock also proved he's the sort of player who can return to the peak of his powers despite a lengthy absence. He won the John Eales Medal for Australia's best player last year after taking a sabbatical to study in 2017.

But this time it's different. There's a World Cup title at stake.

Yes, Pocock would be a huge boost for the Wallabies' World Cup prospects if fit. If fit.

He's barely taken the field since last November, let alone at club level.

There's been no need to rush Pocock back to ensure he's fit ahead of the World Cup but now, time is running out.

The only way the Wallabies will know if Pocock's body is ready for the physicality of the Rugby World Cup is if he actually gets game time. And he's only got one more chance to prove himself.

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The Wallabies have just one international left before their World Cup-opener against Fiji on September 21.

It was hoped Pocock would be fit to play at least one of three matches against New Zealand and Samoa to prove his fitness before the World Cup squad is finalised, but he was left out of both Bledisloe Cup matches.

The 31-year-old has been battling a calf injury for the past five months and played just three games for the ACT Brumbies in his last Super Rugby season.

His rare calf injury forced him into premature Super Rugby retirement after his return was pushed back week after week. Which is now the case with the Wallabies.

Pocock completed all necessary training ahead of the Bledisloe Cup decider in Auckland, but Cheika decided not to risk his troublesome calf against the mighty All Blacks.

It's expected Pocock will take the field in a farewell Test against Samoa in Sydney on September 7, just two weeks before the Wallabies' World Cup opener.

His return will also put Australia's loose forwards combination in disarray, with Michael Hooper, Isi Naisarani and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto starting all four Tests this year.

They've been an impressive combination out front until the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup blunder.

Should Pocock walk straight back into the Wallabies team, he'll most likely start on the bench given his limited game time since November.

Meanwhile Rory Arnold will be fit to face Samoa after his hand fracture, which ruled him out of the Bledisloe Cup decider, was deemed not serious.

The Canberra Raiders have marked themselves as genuine title contenders after their come-from-behind 22-18 victory over the Melbourne Storm on Saturday.

The Green Machine proved the naysayers wrong and sent an emphatic message the rest of the league when they came back from an 18-point deficit to defeat the ladder-leaders.

Ricky Stewart's side will ride the momentum into their clash with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on Sunday, in front of what could be one of their biggest crowds at Canberra Stadium this season.

But Canberra could be without Joe Tapine, who was forced off the field with a rib injury in Melbourne.

The star lock also escaped with a fine after being sin binned for throwing a punch at Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the first-half.

Asofa-Solomona started the push and shove as the Raiders tried to pack their scrum but Tapine retaliated and copped the punishment.

Tapine will be fined $1150 with an early plea after being charged with grade one contrary conduct by the match review committee for the incident. He will be fined $1500 if he fights the charge and loses.

The Raiders look set to finish in the top-four with three rounds remaining, with Manly, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Parramatta Eels two-points behind.

Canberra will play Cronulla Sharks and host the New Zealand Warriors to end the regular season.