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SYDNEY - Australia rugby winger Lote Tuqiri will miss the Wallabies' two-match series against Wales to work on his fitness, coach John Connolly said.
Connolly said Tuqiri, who recently signed a five-year deal worth A$5 million ($5.7 million) to stay in rugby union, had been ordered to work on improving his speed ahead of the World Cup after scoring just one try in this year's Super 14 series.
"Lote was one that we could get a big improvement with a revised training programme, so he will sit out the first two tests," Connolly told reporters.
"He came back from the Super 14 and Jase (Wallabies' physical performance manager Jason Weber) had a look at him and said we have really got to capture some speed back and have a long term view."
Connolly said Tuqiri had not been dropped from the side and his omission was part of a strategy to rotate Australia's top players during their domestic season to keep them fresh for the World Cup.
Connolly has already said that Matt Giteau will play at least one of the two tests against Wales at halfback, with regular number nine George Gregan moving to the bench.
Connolly will name a 30-man squad on Sunday for the two matches against Wales and a one-off clash with Fiji. The starting 15 to play Wales in next weekend's first test will be announced on Wednesday.
Giteau is likely to be given the job for the first test with Stirling Mortlock taking over the captaincy from Gregan.
Digby Ioane and Lachlan Turner will be competing for Tuqiri's jersey and Mark Gerrard is likely to be picked on the other wing.
Connolly also indicated he was likely to play Julian Huxley at fullback in place of the injured Chris Latham. Drew Mitchell and Scott Staniforth are also both under consideration in a revamped backline.
"We have a number of combinations and on the wing we have run Gerrard, Ioane and Mitchell, (while) Staniforth has run 12 and 14," Connolly said.
"There is a toss up between Huxley and Gerrard for fullback, but Huxley has played there most of the Super 14."
Al Baxter is the likely choice at tighthead prop while Matt Dunning, Benn Robinson and Guy Shepherdson battling for the loosehead and bench positions.
Stephen Moore is expected to be picked at hooker with Nathan Sharpe and Mark Chisholm at locks with Wycliff Palu at No 8 and Rocky Elsom and George Smith on the sides of the scrum.
- REUTERS
