I believe in you.

That’s Michael Cheika’s message to controversial playmaker Quade Cooper after the Wallabies coach dropped a selection bombshell by naming the Queensland Reds star at five-eighth for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup decider at Eden Park.

Cooper is one of six changes to Cheika’s starting team which upset the All Blacks 27-19 to claim the Rugby Championship last weekend and set up their first Bledisloe decider since 2008.

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With the chance to win the Bledisloe for the first time in 13 years and end a 29-year winless streak at Eden Park ahead of next month’s World Cup, the wholesale changes to a team that beat the world champions represents a controversial call by Cheika.

The selection of a rocks and diamonds-type player like Cooper has come as a huge surprise given Matt Toomua’s outstanding and assured performance coming off the bench to play No.10 last weekend.

Matt Toomua will play at inside centre against the All Blacks. Photo: Getty

Toomua has been promoted to a starting spot but will be at inside centre with veteran Matt Giteau pushed to the bench.

Cheika, who said it was his plan all along to start Cooper in this game, was peppered with questions at Sydney Airport before the Wallabies’ departure for Auckland on Thursday, about why he picked the Queenslander at No.10.

“I believe in him … as a person and as a player,” Cheika said.

“He’s training well and is doing all the things that we are asking of him at training and I’d just like to back that.

“From before we played the first game I thought I’d have a look at doing one thing in Sydney and one thing in Auckland.

“Just because we won in Sydney, I didn’t want to change my approach.”

The All Blacks will be confident they can get into the five-eighth’s head and throw him off his game as they have done in the past.

Cooper’s performances were mixed during the Wallabies’ earlier wins this season over South Africa and Argentina and he has history with New Zealand crowds who booed him mercilessly at Eden Park during the 2011 World Cup due to his run-ins with All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

“I don’t think that’s fair to anyone if I don’t pick a player because of where we are playing,” Cheika said.

“It would be a bit of weakness by me if I was scared of that.”

Bernard Foley makes way for Cooper who teams up with new starting halfback Nic White.

Brumbies No.9 White comes in for Nick Phipps after starring off the bench in last Saturday’s win.

Master ball-pilferer David Pocock has been relegated to the bench, making way for Wycliff Palu to play his first Test of 2015 at No.8, while Will Skelton will start in place of Dean Mumm in the second-row.

In other changes, winger Henry Speight comes in for veteran Drew Mitchell and lock Kane Douglas has been named on the bench for what will be his first appearance for the Wallabies since returning from club rugby in Ireland.

Wallabies (15-1): Israel Folau, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Quade Cooper, Nic White, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy, Will Skelton, James Horwill, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Scott Sio. Res: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Matt Giteau, Kurtley Beale.

-AAP