James O’Connor and Karmichael Hunt were among the big losers when Australian coach Michael Cheika named an extended 40-man squad.
The Wallaby squad will be reduced closer to the Rugby Championship opener against South Africa on 18 July.
Apart from the absence of O’Connor and Hunt, Nick Cummins, along with veteran props Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander also paid the price for poor form.
The big winners were the Toulon-based duo of Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell.
Mitchell and Giteau have been included in the squad under the new foreign policy rule, while Waratahs and Exeter lock Dean Mumm returns to the Wallabies for the first time since 2012.
Four uncapped players made the squad – Samu Kerevi, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Rory Arnold and Toby Smith.
Prop Greg Holmes also gets a look-in after an eight-year Test hiatus. The 13-Test veteran has impressed throughout the 2015 Super Rugby season with fellow Reds front row forwards James Hanson and James Slipper joining him in the squad.
O’Connor and Cummins will feel aggrieved to have lost out, given that they returned from abroad to be eligible for Wallaby selection – only for the Australian Rugby Union to change their selection policy.
That, in turn, opened the door for Giteau and Mitchell’s return.
Hunt is another who will feel let down, but mostly through his own doing – having endured an injury and drama-plagued first season in Rugby Union.
Cheika also added uncapped Fijian flyer Taqele Naiyaravoro – ending speculation that he will be included in the Fijian World Cup squad.
Naiyaravoro was recently listed by Fiji as a player ‘not considered’ for a national team camp because he was still involved with the Waratahs in the Super Rugby play-offs.
This came after speculation that the 23-year-old was set for a move to Scottish giants Glasgow, which could have set up his eligibility for their national side.
Henry Speight also makes his appearance in a backline squad that features Rob Horne, Joe Tomane, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Israel Folau.
Alexander and Robinson lost out to uncapped Rebels prop Toby Smith, who was named alongside Force front row forward Tetera Faulkner and Brumbies teammate Scott Sio.
France-bound youngster Paul Alo-Emile was not considered owing to an ankle injury.
The 40-man squad, featuring a combination of youth and experience, will assemble on Sunday for a one-week camp on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
“The extended squad gives the new coaching staff a great opportunity to observe and test some new combinations,” Cheika said.
“Off the field, this group has been working very hard and I’m very pleased for our new players entering the Wallabies environment.
“We’re fortunate enough to see some experience enter the squad from both Super Rugby and overseas. It is important we get them connected to the Wallaby culture as soon as possible.
“We are expecting a pretty physical week ahead in Caloundra, and we will look to shave down the squad closer to Test week when we arrive in Brisbane to take on the Springboks.”
Scott Higginbotham and Sam Carter return after missing the 2014 year-end tour owing to injury, while Waratahs skipper David Dennis gets an opportunity to press for Wallaby honours for the first time since November 2013, after being ruled out of last year’s international season with a knee injury.
Wallabies Squad:
Forwards:
- Rory Arnold
- Dave Dennis
- James Hanson
- Scott Fardy
- Tetera Faulkner
- Scott Higginbotham
- Greg Holmes
- Michael Hooper
- James Horwill
- Sekope Kepu
- Stephen Moore
- Wycliff Palu
- Ben McCalman
- Sean McMahon
- Dean Mumm
- David Pocock
- Tatafu Polota-Nau
- Scott Sio
- Rob Simmons
- Will Skelton
- James Slipper
- Toby Smith
Backs:
- Adam Ashley-Cooper
- Kurtley Beale
- Quade Cooper
- Israel Folau
- Bernard Foley
- Will Genia
- Matt Giteau
- Rob Horne
- Samu Kerevi
- Tevita Kuridrani
- Christian Lealiifano
- Drew Mitchell
- Taqele Naiyaravoro
- Nick Phipps
- Henry Speight
- Matt Toomua
- Joe Tomane
- Nic White
Hope for George Smith:
George Smith
Veteran flanker George Smith could still play a role for Australia at the Rugby World Cup despite being left out of a 40-man training squad, according to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Cheika included France-based backs Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell but overlooked Smith for the squad named on Thursday which will be trimmed down ahead of the Rugby Championship opener against South Africa on 18 July.
The 111-test Smith, who has signed for English Premiership club Wasps, played his last match for Australia against the touring British and Irish Lions in 2013 and will be 35 by the start of the World Cup in England later this year.
Cheika said he planned to keep in touch with Smith, one of Australia’s greatest back-rowers.
“I’ve spoken with George and I’ve got a pretty clear role of how he might fit in here,” Cheika said.
“George has played a lot of eight as well over in Lyon this year and I think he is comfortable with the role that I might want him to fill if necessary and I’ll speak to him further,” he said.
“He is returning to England soon so we’ll be keeping in touch about what role he may play further down the track.”
Cheika has named Michael Hooper and David Pocock as his specialist openside flankers, with a raft of players competing for the other back row positions, including capped Wallabies Ben McCalman, Scott Higginbotham and Scott Fardy.