The Wallabies will put Noah Lolesio on ice weeks before the spring tour of Europe in the strongest indication yet he'll be given an extended shot to be Australia's first-choice flyhalf.
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Lolesio is on leave from all rugby duties, but some of his ACT Brumbies teammates are back in Canberra for occasional training sessions after a long international season.
Six Test stars were at Brumbies HQ and then with the team for training at ANU on Monday to help coach Stephen Larkham prepare for another end-of-season practice match.
The game against the Melbourne Rebels in Albury would have been a perfect opportunity for Lolesio to get crucial time on the field before the Wallabies depart for a five-Test tour.
The 22-year-old has yo-yoed in and out of the Wallabies team this year, starting all three Tests against England before injury and selection decisions limited him to just two Tests in the Rugby Championships.
It means Lolesio has played just six matches - five for Australia and one for the Tuggeranong Vikings - in almost four months as Wallabies coach Dave Rennie turned to Bernard Foley as his No. 10.
Rennie is under pressure to turn the Wallabies' results around, and many have called for him to give Lolesio, Ben Donaldson or Tane Edmed the flyhalf reins rather than Foley to at least explore options for the World Cup next year.
Donaldson and Edmed are in Japan getting game time with Australia A, but Lolesio has been directed to rest after suffering concussions during the Rugby Championship.
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So rather than blow out the cobwebs in a Super Rugby trial for the Brumbies, the Wallabies have asked Lolesio to turn all of his attention to the five Tests against Scotland, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales.
The Wallabies are expected to return to camp next week, but several are back in Canberra and showed up to Brumbies training to lend a hand.
Larkham has also turned to two other familiar faces - John Ulugia and Lachlan McCaffrey - for an off-season boost while assistant coaches Dan Palmer and Laurie Fisher are on national duties.
Larkham played with Ulugia at the Brumbies 16 years ago and the 36-year-old is still rated as one of the best hookers in Canberra's club rugby.
He will play against the Rebels, but has shifted into a quasi scrum-coach role while Palmer is in Japan with Australia A.
New Gungahlin Eagles coach and former Brumbies back-rower Lachlan McCaffrey is also back at the club to assist with forwards mentoring while Fisher prepares for the spring tour.
"He brings a lot of knowledge to the scrum," Larkham said. "I think that's ultimately where he's looking at heading and where he wants to get to with a bit of coaching.
"At the moment he's packing scrums and then coaching as well. He was a stand out in the John I Dent Cup this year ... it was a win-win for both parties. We're lucky to have him and Locky in as well."
Larkham will stick with largely the same squad that beat the NSW Waratahs two weeks ago, but will likely add two players from the ACT Griffins side, which has been playing at the Australian Rugby Shield in Adelaide. Royals' star scrumhalf Pedro Rolando will also play after missing the Waratahs game.
The game will be used to trial law variations again, with referees to crack down on time wasting at stoppages in an attempt to encourage more ball-in-play time.
The law changes were first used in the Brumbies' clash against the Waratahs. There will be time limits on play restarting, setting a scrum or lineout and using the ball at the back of a ruck.
SUPER RUGBY TRIAL
Thursday: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Albury, 2pm.
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