Michael Cheika will hold out until Friday to make a call on Pocock's availability, giving the Brumbies flanker one last training session to prove his fitness. Uphill battle: David Pocock trains at the Lensbury Hotel, London. Credit:Stuart Walmsley/ARU Media The Wallabies coach remains upbeat about his star back rower's chances, but early optimism appeared to be fading mid-week. Pocock is not the only starting player on whom the Wallabies are sweating. Fullback Israel Folau (ankle) and prop Scott Sio (elbow) both failed to complete full training on Wednesday.

Folau made it through 10 minutes of training before coming off to ice his ankle, while Sio completed a restricted session before hopping into an ice bath. Bad luck comes in threes: David Pocock, Israel Folau and Scott Sio are in danger of missing out on the semi-final against Argentina. Credit:Getty Images The Brumbies prop is the least likely to be available, after taking a heavy knock on his elbow during a scrum in the Wallabies' 35-34 quarter final win against Scotland on Sunday. Cheika will name his 23-man squad on Friday, local time, with Kurtley Beale the clear choice to replace Folau, after a performance against Scotland that drew strong praise from the coach. "I thought Kurtley Beale was outstanding at fullback," Cheika said on Monday. "Even the decision he made at the end, when we got the ball back, and he kicked it long into the corner there — that's not a decision he would've made a couple of years ago.