Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has turned to Angus Cottrell to help combat a sudden shortage of backrowers for their Rugby Championship tour of South Africa and Argentina.
Melbourne Rebels flanker Cottrell has earned a maiden call-up with both Pete Samu and Lukhan Tui set to miss the team's upcoming fixtures in Port Elizabeth and Salta.
Samu will miss the next four weeks with a knee injury while Tui, as expected, will take time away from rugby following the death of his stepfather and the ugly altercation with a fan on the Gold Coast that compounded his grief.
The pair's absence will force Cheika to look elsewhere at blindside with Cottrell, Caleb Timu or Ned Hanigan the likely contenders for a starting berth.
Cottrell, 28, is one of two uncapped players in Cheika's 30-man touring squad.
The other is halfback Jake Gordon, who will contend with NSW Waratahs teammate Nick Phipps for a spot on the bench behind clear first first choice Will Genia.
Brumbies scrumhalf Joe Powell and Waratahs hooker Tolu Latu have both been excluded, with Cheika keen for the pair to get more match minutes in the National Rugby Championship.
The Wallabies plummeted to No.7 in the world - their worst ranking in history - following last weekend's limp 23-19 defeat to Los Pumas.
On current form, they should start as rank outsiders against both South Africa and Argentina, their final assignments in this year's Rugby Championship.
"There's an opportunity presented to us now to get some good victories overseas and that's going to come from consistency in the way that we play," Cheika said.
"We have got some new additions to the squad and these guys have shown plenty of grit and determination to get an opportunity at a higher level so now we're looking for them to add that to the mix.
"We're very determined to make sure that we repay the faith and show people what we're about in the way we play."
WALLABIES SQUAD
FORWARDS: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Angus Cottrell, Folau Fainga'a, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (captain), Sekope Kepu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Caleb Timu, Taniela Tupou.
BACKS: Tom Banks, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Jake Gordon, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete, Jack Maddocks, Sefa Naivalu, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua.
Australian Associated Press
