Tuqiri's form suffered with the Waratahs' grinding game plan in 2009 and the 29-year-old paid the price yesterday with his omission from the first Wallabies side of the international season.

The powerful winger has not previously been dropped because of a lack of form in the six seasons since he switched from rugby league.

Tuqiri's absence from Saturday night's clash with the Barbarians at the Sydney Football Stadium must cast doubt on his involvement in the 2011 World Cup, despite the 67-Test veteran having a contract reportedly worth $600,000 a season until after the New Zealand tournament.

''He hasn't had a lot of opportunity, to be fair,'' Deans said.

''He hasn't been served particularly well. We hope to serve our wings well and we hope that when he gets his opportunity that he's on the end of that.

''He has looked for work, he has defended really well, he's probably been the most impressive in terms of his defence.''

Tuqiri's axing came even though another winger, Peter Hynes, was unavailable as he returned from a knee injury.

NSW teammate Lachlan Turner and the Western Force's Drew Mitchell were named on the wings.

Speculation emerged yesterday that Tuqiri could be tempted to reconsider his future and seek a release from his Australian deal, but his agent Les Ross insisted that was ''pure speculation''.

''He's got a four-year contract with these guys and this is a Barbarians game,'' Ross said.

Deans said the size of a player's wage was ''totally irrelevant'' when it came to picking a team.

''I'm not familiar and I'm not interested really in terms of what blokes get for playing, and to be honest I suspect once they get to this point of being in the squad that's not a priority for them either,'' he said.

''They're more excited about the fact that they've got the opportunity to pull on their nation's jersey ... they'd probably give up all their income in order to do something significant while they're in it.''

Deans said Tuqiri would get a chance this winter. AAP