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Veteran second rower Nathan Sharpe's Rugby World Cup hopes are in serious doubt after being dumped from the Wallabies squad for Saturday's clash with the All Blacks.
The 33-year-old Western Force captain was overlooked by coach Robbie Deans in favour of returning veteran Dan Vickerman when he named a 24-man touring party on Tuesday for the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup Test at Auckland's Eden Park.
Sharpe, who has played 95 Tests, must now be only an outside chance to make the World Cup starting next month as NSW Waratahs rookie Sitaleki Timani was also included in the squad ahead of him.
Advertisement: Story continues below The 32-year-old Vickerman played his 56th Test - and the first Test for about three years following a study sabbatical in England - when he started in last month's upset loss to Samoa.
He's now set to vie with Queenslanders James Horwill and Rob Simmons for the second row starting roles.
In the other additions to the 20-man squad from the last-start win over South Africa in Sydney, halfback Luke Burgess returns from injury replacing Nick Phipps as likely back up to Will Genia while winger Lachie Turner was also called in along with Timani.
The squad flies to Auckland on Wednesday.
Wallabies touring squad: Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Pekahou Cowan, Rocky Elsom, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Pat McCabe, Ben McCalman, Stephen Moore, James O'Connor, David Pocock, Rob Simmons, Sitaleki Timani, Lachie Turner, Dan Vickerman.
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