Tackle-shedding Peter Betham, battling for a Super Rugby contract 12 months ago, is set to be pitchforked into the Wallabies' backline against the All Blacks on Saturday as Australia's wing crisis deepens.
Betham is expected to make his Test debut in the dead-rubber third Bledisloe Cup match in Dunedin after joining the Wallabies' 24-man squad on their flight to New Zealand on Wednesday morning.
At the start of the year, the Kiwi-born flyer was rated as the NSW Waratahs' fourth-best winger.
But a strong Super Rugby season, netting five tries, and a host of injuries to the country's best finishers has elevated him to a surprise call-up to the squad.
With both Joe Tomane and Chris Feauai-Sautia ruled out with hamstring problems on Tuesday, and Nick Cummins yet to recover from a broken hand, Betham was brought into the Wallabies squad as the only fit specialist winger.
The wayward James O'Connor (suspended), France-bound Digby Ioane, Fiji-born Brumbies flyer Henry Speight (ineligible), Dom Shipperley (shoulder) and Rod Davies (knee) are also unavailable.
Australia's wing dramas had already forced coach Ewen McKenzie to move Adam Ashley-Cooper from his preferred position at outside centre for the last-start 54-17 win over Argentina.
McKenzie could move Israel Folau to the wing instead of Betham and elevate fellow Waratah Bernard Foley to fullback but that's unlikely after the All Blacks successfully limited Folau's wing opportunities in the 47-29 and 27-16 Bledisloe losses in August.
A 2006 Australian Schoolboys representative, Betham's meteoric rise comes after failed stints with the Brumbies, Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels from 2008 to 2011.
The 24-year-old turned his career around with an eye-catching 2012 season with Tasman in New Zealand's ITM Cup which resulted in an upgraded NSW contract.
"I guess it's going back to the basics of backing myself and backing my ability," Betham said last month when he first cracked the Wallabies squad.
"It's (ITM Cup) very good, healthy competition throughout the comp week in week out with Super Rugby players and what better place to develop yourself than New Zealand."
The Wallabies included another New Zealand-born back in their travel squad with radar-boot Mike Harris likely to be picked as a reserve.
The space on the bench will be made available due to the expected promotion of Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua, who's tipped to play at inside centre alongside schoolboys rival Quade Cooper following an injury to Christian Lealiifano.
Prop Ben Alexander wasn't concerned about the re-jigged backline when the Wallabies squad touched down in Queenstown.
"There will be new combinations with Christian out and a few of the other guys pulling up sore," he said.
"But New Zealand have guys pulling out too. You've just got to keep going on and that's the sign of a good team - when blokes step up and take their chance."
Likely Wallabies side: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Peter Betham, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Ben Mowen, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, James Slipper. Res: Saia Fainga'a, Benn Robinson, Sepoke Kepu, Sitaleki Timani, Dave Dennis, Nic White, Bernard Foley, Mike Harris.
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