Australian Sevens representatives Lachie Turner, Nick Cummins and Pat McCabe were on Thursday included in a 28-man squad for the Wallabies’ Tri-Nations Tests in South Africa.
The trio have been brought into the travelling party to cover injuries, with Cummins and McCabe featuring for the first time, the Australian Rugby Union said.
Turner, with 11 Test caps, is yet to appear for Australia this year, although he did feature twice for the Australian Barbarians against England in June.
The presence of McCabe and Cummins lifts to three the number of uncapped players in the touring party, alongside Queensland Reds loose forward Scott Higginbotham.
The trio were all named earlier this week in the Australian team that will compete at October’s Commonwealth Games Sevens tournament in New Delhi.
Western Force duo, winger Cameron Shepherd and flanker Matt Hodgson, withdrew from the travelling squad.
Shepherd suffered a hamstring strain in training, while Hodgson sustained a groin strain.
The ARU said neither is expected to be available until Australia’s final match of the Tri Nations against New Zealand in Sydney on September 11.
Queensland Reds winger Peter Hynes was also ruled out after experiencing continuing problems with his injured knee.
Flyhalf Quade Cooper is back after having served a two-match suspension, while prop Ben Daley and second-rower Mark Chisholm will be on Friday’s plane to South Africa.
Australia face back-to-back Tests against South Africa at Pretoria on August 28 and in Bloemfontein on September 4.
The Wallabies have not beaten the Springboks at altitude in South Africa since winning 11-9 in Johannesburg in 1963.
Squad
Backs: Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs), Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs), James O’Connor (Western Force), Nick Cummins (Western Force), Pat McCabe (ACT Brumbies), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs), Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds), Matt Giteau (ACT Brumbies), Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Will Genia (Queensland Reds), Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs).
Forwards: Richard Brown (Western Force), Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds), David Pocock (Western Force), Rocky Elsom (ACT Brumbies/captain), Ben McCalman (Western Force), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs), Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds), Mark Chisholm (ACT Brumbies), Ben Daley (Queensland Reds), Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs), Salesi Ma’afu (ACT Brumbies), James Slipper (Queensland Reds), Stephen Moore (ACT Brumbies), Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds). — AFP