The Wallabies are holding auditions for Israel Folau's vacant fullback position with the successful candidate given the chance to make it his own for the spring tour.
With Folau rested from the four-game tour which starts on Saturday against Japan in Yokohama, coach Michael Cheika is considering Karmichael Hunt, Kurtley Beale and Reece Hodge to wear the No.15 jersey.
Hunt appears the frontrunner having started at fullback against the Barbarians in Sydney last weekend.
But the Wallabies haven't ruled out playing him at inside centre -- where he impressed in three games during the June Test window before injury ruled him out for the Rugby Championship -- and shifting Beale to fullback.
After their maiden Test against the Cherry Blossoms in Japan, Australia take on Wales, England and Scotland.
"We've been building a really strong, confident connection so it's tough to break up that combination but it's going to be better in the long term if we can blood someone else in that position for a period of time," assistant coach Stephen Larkham said after the team's arrival in Japan on Wednesday.
"This is a four-game tournament for us now and we want to get our combination right this weekend so we're going to put our best combination out on the paddock.
"There are three guys vying for it and nothing is set in stone at this stage."
Australia will name their team to play Japan after their training run on Thursday, when the scheduling and match locations for the 2019 World Cup will be announced.
The two countries have met four times -- the last at the 2007 World Cup in France, which Australia won 91-3.
But Larkham predicted a much tighter affair against the world No.11 at Yokohama Stadium, which is the venue for the 2019 World Cup final.
Under Kiwi coaches Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown, the Wallabies rate the Japan back-row--- led by Australia's Super Rugby player of the year, Melbourne Rebel Amanaki Mafi -- as a force, while utility back Kotaro Matsushima is among their attacking threats.
"We're definitely not taking this match lightly," Larkham said.
"Rugby has improved over the last 10 years, it's clearly evident in the results they've had at the national level with the 2015 World Cup a stand out.
"It's relatively new team with some new combinations but they've got a really good coaching set-up and I think success is around the corner."
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