Joe Schmidt has explained the shock omission of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for the Wallabies' three Nations Championship Tests as a two-pronged call with the World Cup in mind.
The rampaging Queensland Reds lock, as well as Brumbies second-rower and 38-Test veteran Nick Frost, were both missing from Friday's 37-man squad named ahead of games against Ireland, France and Italy next month.
Instead Schmidt, who will hand coaching duties to Les Kiss after that trio of Tests, has called up rookie locks Lachlan Shaw and Miles Amatosero alongside Josh Canham and Jeremy Williams.
With the hulking Will Skelton out injured it was assumed Salakaia-Loto would fill the role of enforcer, with the likes of James Horwill last month backing the 29-year-old to transfer his barnstorming Super Rugby Pacific form to the Test arena.
