Wallabies coach Michael Cheika insists ACT Brumbies flanker Scott Fardy's international career is still alive despite axing him from the Test squad on Tuesday night.
Ireland-bound Fardy was a high-profile omission from Cheika's 34-man group to play against Fiji, Scotland and Italy in June after the Wallabies mentor opted to give some young guns a chance.
???Brumbies Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Kyle Godwin, Tevita Kuridrani, Joe Powell and Henry Speight were all named, while injured prop Scott Sio has also been included.
But it was the names Cheika left out of the group that raised eyebrows, with Fardy, Will Skelton, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas and Dean Mumm all missing out.
Cheika said he made the decision to go with youth to give them Test-environment experience, while leaving the door ajar to add the others to the group if there are injuries.
"There were a few [hard calls], definitely the established players like Fardy, Rob Horne, Simmons, Skelton ... they've given a lot and they were difficult decisions," Cheika said.
"Those guys are not out of the picture. But I think that strategy of thinking about guys who before they finish want to play in as many Tests as they can, not be in as many squads as they can.
"That philosophy of seeing someone in the starting team or the [game-day] 23, then you're in. If not, we're probably better off going for some development somewhere else.
"I'll talk to the lads and explain some of my thoughts around that. There's no ruling anyone out [because they're going overseas next year] ... it's just about getting the right balance."
The Brumbies arrived back in Canberra on Monday night and will train on Wednesday as they prepare for their last home game of the regular season.
The match will double as a celebration for Ben Alexander's record-breaking 143rd Super Rugby cap while it could also be the last in Canberra for Fardy and coach Stephen Larkham.
The Brumbies can cement their place in the play-offs if they beat the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday night.
They won back to back games on a trip to South Africa and Argentina, and individual form was rewarded with eight players picked in Cheika's squad.
Powell is expected to challenge Will Genia for the Wallabies' No. 9 jersey while Kuridrani is locked in a battle with Samu Kerevi for the outside centre spot.
Speight, who has been Australian rugby's form winger, will go head to head with NRL convert Marika Koroibete and Sefa Naivalu on Saturday as the trio compete for Test jerseys.
Sio is still recovering from a knee injury and won't be available for the Wallabies' clash against Fiji on June 10, but is expected to be fit to play against Scotland.
"We'll probably bring a couple of young blokes in to cover [Sio being out for the first Test], but he'll be available from then onwards," Cheika said.
Cheika opted for Waratahs' back-row duo Ned Hanigan and Jack Dempsey as blindside flanker options ahead of Fardy, despite the Brumbies' No. 6's consistent form.
Fardy will leave Canberra at the end of the Super Rugby season to play for Irish club Leinster.
"We've been bringing in a newer generation and looking longer term, but also having an eye on form in the short term," Cheika said.
"We won't be giving any Test caps away. It's been driven by form but also a view to getting guys in and seeing them at this level before we get into the [2018] season."
Brumbies coach Larkham will leave the club at the end of the year to become Cheika's full-time back-line assistant.
The Brumbies have all but finalised Larkham's replacement in Canberra, and the club could announce a new coach as early as this week.
Larkham's assistant Dan McKellar is considered the front-runner to fill Larkham's shoes and the club is also pushing ahead with re-signing players after the ARU lifted its ban earlier this week.
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 15
Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. Tickets available from Tickete.??????
Wallabies squad: (Brumbies in bold) Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Sam Carter, Jack Dempsey, Ned Hanigan, Richard Hardwick, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Scott Sio, Toby Smith, Lopeti Timani, Lukhan Tui. Quade Cooper, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Kyle Godwin, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Eto Nabuli, Sefa Naivalu, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Henry Speight.
WALLABIES MID-YEAR TEST SERIES
June 10: Wallabies v Fiji at AAMI Park, Melbourne, 3pm.
June 17: Wallabies v Scotland at Allianz Stadium, 3pm.
June 24: Wallabies v Italy at Suncorp Stadium, 3pm.
