There’ll be no cult hero Nick Cummins when Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie unveils his 32-man squad on Wednesday for the Rugby Championship.
With Cummins moving on to take up a lucrative contract in Japan, McKenzie will turn to other tried-and-tested wingers to help return the Bledisloe Cup to Australian shores.
Fijian-born sensation Henry Speight won’t be eligible for Australia until September, but McKenzie is likely to replace the “Honey Badger” – who featured in all three Tests against France last month – with former Wallabies winger Joe Tomane.
With the opening match of the Rugby Championship – against the All Blacks in Sydney on August 16 – still almost a month away, McKenzie is set to stick with the bulk of the squad that swept past France 3-0.
Halfback Will Genia has all but ruled himself out of the Rugby Championship opener, while Quade Cooper is also some weeks away from a comeback, leaving McKenzie to rely on NSW Waratahs five-eighth Bernard Foley and Brumbies midfielders Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano as his playmakers.
The squad will assemble in Dubbo on August 3 before embarking on a four-day “Bush to Bledisloe” training camp and promotional tour of NSW country.
The full squad will be announced at 11am (AEST).