Daly Cherry-Evans pushes to gain starting spot for Kangaroos at Rugby League World Cup Daly Cherry-Evans. TIM Sheens sat after the game on a freezing cold night in Ireland admitting he had a headache - but the weather wasn't causing it. The Australian coach has to now pick his best 17 to take on the United States in Wales this Saturday and the topic many in rugby league are debating is where to play Daly Cherry-Evans - in the starting team or on the bench? The Manly halfback finished the NRL season as the competition's form halfback and he has taken that form to the World Cup, but it appears his best hope of breaking into Australia's top squad will be if he beats Robbie Farah for the utility bench spot. The Clive Churchill Medal winner from the grand final walked off the field in Limerick as man-of-the-match in the 50-0 win after another dominant performance where he scored one try and played a hand in two more. After starring at halfback beside Johnathan Thurston in last week's 34-2 win over Fiji, Cherry-Evans was five-eighth against Ireland, playing alongside Cooper Cronk, and couldn't have done more to press his claims. "It is a very proud moment," Cherry-Evans said. I love every opportunity I get to play in this jersey so to get man of the match, yeah, a very special moment. Any opportunity I get to play for my country is very special. Not only to wear the number seven last week but the number six this week, they have been really enjoyable occasions and I would love for more of them to come. I've thought about the sort of players that have worn those jerseys over the years and there are some really big names and I will be keeping those jerseys very close to my heart. I look forward to taking them home and showing mum and dad and my partner. But will the man of the match effort against Ireland be his last starting appearance going forward? Sonny Bill Williams did score a hat-trick, but he almost slipped up again with the shorter in goals still taking some getting use to. Cronk himself finished with a double in the nine tries to nil flogging, and as the incumbent, his performance was certainly strong enough to warrant Sheens keeping his halfback heading into the knockout stage alongside Thurston. Sheens has already made it clear how he sees the battle playing out by all but declaring Cherry-Evans is in a two-way fight with Farah for the bench spot. Sheens wouldn't go into the individual selection dilemmas, but there is no doubt the Cherry-Evans-Farah shootout would be at the forefront of his mind. Asked if he will pick his top 17 against the United States, Sheens said: "It is a real headache for me. We have so many guys playing well and I have a couple of contentious positions in particular, but we will work on that during the week.