MELBOURNE :Wingers Andrew Kellaway and Corey Toole were released from the Australia squad on Tuesday as Joe Schmidt’s preferred team to face the British & Irish Lions moved into clearer focus.
Kellaway will return to his New South Wales Waratahs squad for their tour match against the Lions in Sydney on Saturday, ruling him out of selection for the Wallabies’ game against Fiji on Sunday.
Uncapped at test level, Toole will also miss out on the Fiji test, the Wallabies’ last warmup before the July 19 series-opener against the Lions in Brisbane, to join his ACT Brumbies squad ahead of their tour match against the Lions next week.
Waratahs backs Joseph Suaalii and Max Jorgensen have been retained in Schmidt’s squad for Fiji, with the former capable of playing in the centres and both giving Schmidt options at fullback and on the wings.
Schmidt also has the Western Force duo of Harry Potter and Dylan Pietsch as wing options in his squad along with Queensland Reds speedster Filipo Daugunu.
Kellaway’s release follows prop Taniela Tupou’s return to the Waratahs on Monday.
Andy Farrell’s Lions will familiarise themselves with the first test venue of the Wallabies series when they meet the Queensland Reds at Lang Park on Wednesday.
The Lions thrashed Western Force 54-7 in Perth in their first tour match in Australia last Saturday but Farrell expects a tougher test against the Reds, who are coached by future Wallabies boss Les Kiss.
“Les has done a fantastic job with them to play a great brand of rugby and are able to play in many different ways,” Farrell told reporters.
“So this will be 100 per cent a big step up for us on Wednesday night. Any side that Les coaches, he’s always going to be very well prepared.”
