Tolu Latu didn't see a minute of action in the Wallabies' three June Tests because he wasn't fit enough, coach Michael Cheika says.
Arguably the most promising young hooker in Australian rugby, Latu was not included in any of the squads for the games against Fiji, Scotland and Italy and has seemingly slid down the pecking order behind captain Stephen Moore and veteran Tatafu Polota-Nau.
The 24-year-old played in four Tests last year but has been warned he won't get another look in until he starts physically "outshining" Moore and Polota Nau.
"I think Tolu probably got caught in the fitness battle," said Cheika, who has been on the warpath about how Super Rugby franchises have failed to adequately prepare Wallabies players for the rigours of Test rugby.
"I think that for a young guy coming up, he's a player we've got a lot of regard for.
"We want him to be in the game here for a long time but he got caught out by the fact that as a young player, he needs to be working harder than anybody.
"He needs to be outshining the older guys, physically in particular, because he's got 10 years on them.
"When he steps up to that plate I've got no doubt whatsoever he'll be able to compete for the No.1 hooker spot."
Latu has two more regular season matches with the NSW Waratahs, against the Jaguares (home) and Western Force (away), to show Cheika evidence of his improved fitness base.
Cheika, meanwhile, said he will be in contact with Super Rugby coaches to ensure the training workloads for Wallabies are topped up over the coming weeks.
"There's no doubt that we've trained the guys much harder than they would have been used to in their week-to-week. It has an effect," he said.
"We've got to keep them at that level now for another few weeks at their teams and then try and go up again when we get back into camp."
The Wallabies return to action on August 19 in their Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup opener against New Zealand in Sydney.
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