It's the Australian centre pairing that has tongues wagging across the rugby world but Len Ikitau says he's no midfield mortgage with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii as competition for berths heats up before Saturday's second Test with Los Pumas.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has favoured the Ikitau-Suaalii combination since Suaalii's debut against England last year and the pair have since started together in 10 of 11 possible Tests since, including Saturday's 28-24 win over Argentina.
Watch the Wallabies tackle Los Pumas at Allianz Stadium live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
Suaalii's two-try haul turned the tide Australia's way after half time while Ikitau's match-winning pass to Angus Bell overshadowed his incredible work-rate both sides of the ball.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, Ikitau was quick to credit his and Suaalii's success to internal competition from the likes of Hunter Paisami, Josh Flook and Hamish Stewart.
"It's been awesome being able to play with [Suaalii], but I feel like it's all the centres that are not in the 23. I feel like we've got a lot of centres who are putting their hand up," Ikitau told reporters on Monday.
"Unfortunately, they don't get the opportunity to play on the weekend, but just the depth that we have with Hunter, Flooky, and Hamish just pushing us to be our best come Saturday has been awesome.
"Joe will select a squad and he'll tell us who we're playing and then we've just got to play.
"Wherever I play, if I play 12-13, I'll play on the wing if I have to, but I just want to be out there and same with Joseph, he doesn't mind where he plays."
Ikitau joked he didn't want to keep talking about Suaalii "because I always say good things about him," but warned the 21-year-old was hungry to keep learning and improving in Wallaby gold.
"We all know Joseph as a rugby player, so I think just being able to chat to him off the field and just learn about where he likes the ball, how he likes it (and) just understanding him as a footballer over the last couple of weeks has been awesome," he said.
"Then just seeing it transfer onto the field, just the things that he does. He wants the ball, he's eager to get the ball, he's eager to tackle hard."
Ikitau's attention now turns to Australia's next clash with Los Pumas in Sydney and the man who could slot inside him at flyhalf should Tom Lynagh fail to recover from a hamstring complaint.
James O'Connor helped turn the Wallabies' fortunes around in Townsville after Lynagh's 57th minute departure and Ikitau is eager for O'Connor to stay as long as possible before his new English club, Leicester, come calling.
"Having 'Rabs' has been awesome. It was kind of like QC (Quade Cooper) when he came in, in 2021," Ikitau said of O'Connor.
"Just that older head that knows a lot, brings a lot of experience into the group. He's been awesome for us, especially over the last couple of weeks."
"I sent him a message and told him that he's leaving when I'm leaving. I think we'll sort that out soon."
Ikitau and Wallabies team-mate Tom Hooper will link up with English club Exeter for the 2025/2026 Premiership season; however, the timeline for both departures and that of James O'Connor is to be confirmed.
Australia will name their matchday 23 to face Argentina on Thursday 11 September.
