Australia's autumn tour has been hit by another front-line withdrawal after Quade Cooper opted to stay in Japan rather than travel to the UK.
Cooper had wanted to be involved in the fixtures against Scotland, England and Wales after ending his four-year international exile in the recent Rugby Championship.
But the 33-year-old playmaker is not contracted to Rugby Australia and has instead chosen to stay with his Japanese club Kintetsu.
The setback comes after centre Samu Kerevi and back row Sean McMahon, also influential figures in the Wallabies’ recent revival, decided to remain with Tokyo Sungoliath.
"Quade obviously wanted the blessing of the club and maybe some flexibility around the tour dates," Australia coach Dave Rennie said.
"But in the end I think he felt he needed to be there to support his club who are about to head into their season.
"He’s torn. He wants to be here, he wants to be a Wallaby, but he feels loyalty to his club so he’s made a decision that he feels is the right one.
"They’re his primary employer. We want guys who are desperate to be Wallabies and Quade says he is, but he’s torn. If he had the blessing of the club, he would have come."
Kurtley Beale, Rory Arnold, Tolu Latu and Will Skelton will arrive into Australia’s camp in Brighton from their French clubs on Monday ahead of the autumn opener at Murrayfield on November 7.
