Rugby: Cheika: I'd be mad not to consider veterans

'I wonder what John Eales is up to these days...' Photo / Getty Images

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says he would be crazy not to be considering George Smith, Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell for this year's Rugby World Cup.

The France-based trio are the only three players immediately available for Wallabies selection following the ARU's backflip on its selection policy for overseas stars.

Cheika says he'll touch base with a trio boasting a combined total of 266 test caps for Australia.

"I'd be stupid [not to be]. That's the idea, is to have more players available to choose from," Cheika said yesterday.

"So of course, yeah, I'm looking at them now."

Smith retired for a second time following Australia's 1-2 series loss to the touring Lions in 2013.

Cheika said he had no idea if he'd be able to temp the champion flanker to make a second international comeback, but said the 34-year-old was "obviously" an attractive proposition.

"George played for me at Stade Francais," Cheika said. "He came on one of his little junkets out of Japan and came over and had had a little of life in France and I can tell you he was an awesome player to coach."

Cheika said it was too early to say if any of the three overseas-based options would need to return for the Rugby Championship or simply slot into his 31-man World Cup squad for this year's global showpiece in Britain.

Meanwhile, former England coach Clive Woodward said England should follow Australia's lead and scrap their "old-fashioned" policy of refusing to select overseas-based players.

"Stuart Lancaster [England coach] must be free to pick his best players, no matter where they ply their trade," Woodward wrote in his column for Britain's Daily Mail.

"It's wrong to say England are best served by players at English clubs."

Woodward cited the in-form Toulon pair of Steffon Armitage, the reigning European Player of the Year, and fullback Nick Abendanon as two players who ought to be considered for England's World Cup squad.

"When it comes to a home World Cup, you don't want to be left talking about 'what ifs'," he said.

- AAP