Uncapped forwards Seru Uru and Fergus Lee-Warner are being tipped as bolters when coach Dave Rennie unveils his first Wallabies squad of 2021 on Sunday.
Rennie will name 40 players for a three-day camp on the Gold Coast next month as he eyes the scheduled three-Test series against a resurgent France in July to kick off the Test season.
Versatile Reds star Uru has been a revelation in his second season of Super Rugby, showcasing rare athleticism for a man of his size.
The 24-year-old from Fiji has played mostly at lock this season but intriguingly will start ahead of Test No.8 Harry Wilson in Saturday's clash with the Waratahs in Sydney.
Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui had Uru as a bolter in his Test squad in the Sydney Morning Herald and dual international and Stan Sport colleague Allana Ferguson agreed.
"Seru Uru has been incredible for the Reds attack," Ferguson said.
"What a huge athlete, his line breaks are phenomenal, I love when he gets those offloads away for a forward. He just puts the defence in two minds, gets the team on the front foot.
"He's just so strong, he's incredible. I don't necessarily think he'll be in the starting team but for him to be in that squad, be amongst the players, learn off them, soak that up for a year or two – he's definitely a player that's well and truly on his way.
"Just to be in that environment and learn some qualities off the Wallabies players and previous players as well will be huge."
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The Force's Lee-Warner has some similarities to Uru, breaking out in his second Super Rugby season and capable of covering multiple positions.
A late bloomer at 27, the NSW product started the season in the second row before shifting to blindside flanker.
"I like him at six, much better than lock," Wallabies legend Tim Horan said on Stan Sport.
"I think he really adds that starch and physique in the backrow that the Force have been missing for the last couple of years. He's got a bit of Lachie Swinton about him."
Turinui named Rebels prospect Josh Kemeny ahead of Lee-Warner in the SMH but had also been impressed with Lee-Warner's claims.
"It's a frame that Australian rugby has been missing," Turinui said of a player listed by the Force at 1.94m and 112kg.
"We discuss it when we talk about Wallaby squads – he's been physical, he's worked hard, exactly the kind of player that you can use and he's quite adaptable for any type of rugby you want to play. He's a really important cog for this Force team.
"If I'm Dave Rennie I look at the athletic capabilities and I go 'yes he can.' What he probably needs to do is add some deception and a short passing game to his game. What he brings are the things that sometimes you can't teach."
Horan also stated that he would pick an all-Reds midfield axis at 10-12-13.
James O'Connor, Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia featured heavily for the Wallabies last year and have carried on that form for the unbeaten Reds in 2021.
That would leave the in-form Rebels captain Matt To'omua on the bench as playmaking cover although Horan also likes the idea of trying Petaia at fullback.
"I think James O'Connor has come a long way and then you look at the way Hunter Paisami has been playing, you've got to pick him," Horan said.
"And that's the way they ended last year, to try and get this centre combination going. But it'll depend on where you choose to play one player (Petaia)."
Turinui also encouraged Rennie to make the most of the reworked 'Giteau Law' and pick overseas-based forwards Sean McMahon and Will Skelton for The Rugby Championship.
"Sean McMahon, don't forget, in 2019, early 2020, he was training and playing some tournaments with the Aussie sevens team and absolutely killing it," Turinui said.
"He could fix the balance of our backrow. And Will Skelton, I'd love to see him come back and just see how he slots in. Can he do it at Test level?
"He has been irrepressible in England for Saracens, right the way through. I would love to see the profile of a Will Skelton."
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from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/rugby/wallabies-squad-2021-news-australia-rugby-seru-uru-fergus-lee-warner/fd8a807e-8558-449b-9c33-79548cebe137
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