Wallabies star Kurtley Beale will take no part in the June Test series but coach Michael Cheika says he wants to pick French-based player Will Genia as his first-choice halfback for the first Test in Melbourne against Fiji.
Beale, who left Australia last year to join English premiership club Wasps, suffered a hamstring injury on the weekend and has subsequently been ruled out of the Wallabies' matches against Fiji, Scotland and Italy in June.
Cheika could have played Beale at No.12 or somewhere else in the back line but his decision to leave him out of the June Tests comes after he dangled a carrot in front of the returning NSW Waratah before he made the call to return to his home country.
"Kurtley won't be coming back, I've spoken with him," Cheika said. "I'm spoken to the medicos and considering the injury status he had before he left and now a couple of niggles towards the end of the season, it's not the first one he's had. I'd rather he has a month off ??? and he gets back here and has a good pre-season before the Rugby Championship."
The Waratahs have been uninterested in snapping up Beale up for two possible matches after the June series in the lead-up to Super Rugby finals.
Beale would not be able to play in a quarter-final though should NSW qualify and Cheika was equally unperturbed about trying to get him some game-time before a return.
This means Beale's first hit-out could be the Wallabies' first Bledisloe Test against the All Blacks in Sydney on August 19.
"He won't be playing Super Rugby," Cheika said. "From my end, I'm happy to run him first cab off the rank. He knows enough about footy now."
Cheika will name a 33-man squad on Tuesday evening and said it was possible that a few new names could appear in the group.
A more recognisable figure will be Genia, who is expected to retain his spot as Australia's premier halfback.
"I think his training will be all right," said Cheika of Genia. "Will has been working with our guys back here around keeping fit and so has Kurtley, I know that for a fact."
Cheika said he could not believe Australian Super Rugby franchises were not trying to sign Genia, who has signalled that he would like to return to Australia for good.
"I can [make it happen] only through relationships," Cheika said. "Obviously it's pretty clear if I pick him for the first Test, that's where I see him in the pecking order.
"I would be crazy not to be saying: 'Is someone going to pick this chap up?'."
