Australia prop Taniela Tupou has been released from the Wallabies squad to join the New South Wales Waratahs for their tour match against the British & Irish Lions on Saturday, leaving his hopes of featuring in the test series up in the air.
The move means Tupou will not be selected for Sunday's test in Newcastle against Fiji, the Wallabies' last warmup before they face the Lions in the series-opener in Brisbane on July 19.
Tupou, who has 58 tests under his belt, had an inconsistent season for the Waratahs in Super Rugby but Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt included him in his initial squad along with tighthead options Allan Alaalatoa, Tom Robertson and Zane Nonggorr.
With the Wallabies' match-day squad against Fiji likely to be close to Schmidt's first-choice team for the Lions, Tupou may need to produce something special for the Waratahs to be considered for the series.
Once a ball-carrying dynamo ranked among the world's top scrummagers, Tupou's stock has fallen in recent years amid poor form and injury struggles.
His release from the squad raised question marks about his test future but Wallabies teammate Fraser McReight backed the man nicknamed "Tongan Thor" to return stronger.
'FIRING, READY TO GO'
"He's coming together and he’s honing what he needs to do but I have no doubt that he will come back and be firing, ready to go," McReight told reporters on Monday.
"But obviously his first job is to put that light blue jersey on and go against the Lions for the 'Tahs."
The Lions kicked off their tour of Australia on Saturday with a thumping 54-7 win over Western Force in Perth.
They next face a Reds team featuring nine Wallabies, including centre Hunter Paisami and hooker Matt Faessler, at Lang Park in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Former New Zealand prop Aidan Ross, the Reds' new signing, will also start against the Lions.
Some of the Reds' best are being kept on ice for the Fiji test, though, including flanker McReight and halfbacks Tate McDermott and Tom Lynagh.
Under Eddie Jones, Australia were stunned 22-15 by Fiji on the way to exiting at the group stage of the 2023 World Cup.
While the Lions series-opener looms, McReight said the players were not treating Fiji as a warmup.
"It’s a test match against Fiji, who are a bloody good side," he said.
"We’re not worried so much about trying to get revenge (for the World Cup) or anything like that .... Two years ago was a long time, it’s a completely different squad."
Though focused on Fiji, the Wallabies players will be keeping close tabs on the Lions' tour matches, which include further fixtures against the Brumbies and an invitational Australia-New Zealand XV.
Reds and future Wallabies coach Les Kiss on Monday named the first four New Zealand players for the Australia-NZ squad to face the Lions on July 12 at Adelaide Oval.
Former All Blacks enforcer Shannon Frizell is the headliner, with support from Crusaders centre-captain David Havili, livewire fullback Shaun Stevenson and test scrumhalf Folau Fakatava.