Auckland: Michael Cheika will remain Wallabies coach regardless of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup result. He is also unlikely to come under any serious internal pressure unless the Wallabies lose their next five matches – or the balance of the Rugby Championship.

Cheika will meet with senior Rugby Australia officials in Sydney next week. But the meeting will be a chance for them to talk to Cheika about any extra support or resources he may need in the lead-up to next year's World Cup, not about whether or not he still has a job.

All on the line: The Wallabies in a slightly lighter mood before Saturday night's fireworks get underway. Credit:Stuart Walmsley, RUGBY.com.au

Officials will also want an update on his plans post-2019. He has publicly stated he will leave if the Wallabies do not lift the trophy in Japan, and he has also told Fairfax Media he will consider it "job done" if they do. RA officials want to flesh out the details on both scenarios.

With a winning ratio of only 51 per cent, the second lowest of the professional era, Cheika is under huge pressure to prove that his plans are still on track. Rugby fans were blindsided by last week's second-half performance against New Zealand in Sydney, coming as it did off the back of a competitive June series against Ireland and a rare win over the All Blacks last October.