Almost halfway through his four-year tenure and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans looks to have finally settled on his first-choice team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

In the surest sign yet that he is close to deciding on his strongest possible line-up, Deans is set to name an unchanged side for only the third time in his 27-Test reign for Saturday's clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Deans is notorious for late changes of heart, but on Tuesday ran the same team at training which started in last Saturday's 20-20 draw with Ireland in Dublin - with the exception of fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, who sat out the session nursing a quad strain.

But, describing his injury as nothing more than a dead leg, Ashley-Cooper vowed to be fit to tackle Scotland as the Wallabies look to maintain their unbeaten run on the four-Test tour of the UK and Ireland.

Significantly, young flanker David Pocock looks likely to retain his place ahead of George Smith after his tireless man-of-the-match performance against Six Nations champions Ireland.

Deans has rotated the two flankers in the past three Tests and Smith was due for a recall this weekend before Pocock seemingly forced the coach's hand at Croke Park, where he played all but a few minutes of the match while in the blood bin.

If Deans does indeed announce an unchanged line-up on Thursday (Friday AEDT), it would confirm his changing of the guard.

The only other two times he didn't tinker with his starting team were after Australia's narrow opening Tri Nations loss to New Zealand in Auckland this year and then after the Wallabies beat the world champion Springboks in Brisbane.

Clearly, Deans is pleased with the progression of his side, despite the immense disappointment of having their grand slam hopes dashed in Dublin.

"It's evident that we're making headway, we believe, but we're hugely frustrated that we're not getting the benefit of that," Deans said.

The only two players unavailable for selection who would ordinarily command inclusion on Saturday are recently-appointed vice-captain Berrick Barnes, who returned home from the tour with an ankle injury, and veteran lock Nathan Sharpe, who missed the trip to undergo shoulder surgery.

But while lineout leader Sharpe would likely slot into the second row in place of Mark Chisholm, the emergence of Quade Cooper could provide Deans with a welcome selection headache when Barnes returns next season.

Cooper certainly hopes so anyway, with the 21-year-old on Tuesday saying his plan was to keep hold of the inside centre position that Barnes had made his own over the past two years.

"You've got to make the most of any game you get and make any selection decisions tough," said Cooper, who like Barnes, provides Deans with a right-foot kicking option in the midfield alongside left-footed five-eighth Matt Giteau.

"We want to be the best side as the Wallabies. So to be the best side, we've got to put pressure on each other in positions and make it really hard for the coaches to pick a side.

"If everyone offers something, we'll definitely improve as a side."

The likely selection of an unchanged starting side is also a sign of Deans' respect for Scotland.

If ever there was a temptation to rest a couple of stars it would be against a team Australia have not lost to since 1982.

Deans might have considered giving Ryan Cross another start at outside centre but that appears unlikely now as it would shatter Digby Ioane's confidence after his rare defensive lapse allowed Brian O'Driscoll to score Ireland's last-minute leveller at Croke Park.

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