Wallabies coach Michael Cheika admits he's gone against the form grain by recalling lock Kane Douglas.
The Reds' lock started just seven Super Rugby games this year and was left out of the Wallabies' squad for the three June Tests. But he was named in the 34-man party for the first Bledisloe Cup Test later this month in Sydney.
"Obviously, you want to be picking everyone who has got form in Super Rugby where you can and there's some selections that aren't Super Rugby form-related," Cheika said.
"You'd have to say Kane Douglas's is not. But that's me wanting to push him, wanting to get something out of him that I know he's got inside of him."
Another Queensland lock Rob Simmons, who started alongside Douglas in the 2015 World Cup final, was also recalled after being overlooked in June, but Brumbies captain and second-rower Sam Carter was dropped.
Yet another Reds lock, 20-year-old Izack Rodda, is pushing for a first Test cap after earning selection in the squad.
"He's a big body, I like his attitude, he's tough and he's prepared to push himself," Cheika said.
"I've seen that in training and I see a good future for him.
"How fast that future comes will depend how he gets stuck into the training over these next couple of weeks where we start more of the contact work together and the physicality which is the key for the tight-five players.
"He's going to put up a very good challenge for the position; he's definitely not there as a development player or anything ... he's there to contest for a lock position."
Cheika is searching for the right second-row partner for Adam Coleman, who he made it clear had earned a spot.
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