Veteran lock James Horwill and scrum-half Nic White were the big omissions Friday as southern hemisphere champions Australia named their 31-man squad to tackle a challenging group at next month's Rugby World Cup.

Horwill captained the Wallabies at the last World Cup but was a high-profile casualty with Kane Douglas returning as one of four second-rowers in the line-up, alongside Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons and Will Skelton.

Coach Michael Cheika also overlooked scrum-half White, despite his match-winning performance in the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup Test victory against the All Blacks in Sydney this month.

Cheika instead went with just two specialist scrum-halves in Nick Phipps and Will Genia, with utility Matt Giteau as back-up. He also opted to go with just two specialist hookers in Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau.
The coach also kept faith with mercurial fly-half Quade Cooper despite an off-key performance in last week's 41-13 loss to New Zealand in Auckland.

Prop Toby Smith and flanker Sean McMahon were surprise inclusions, despite not featuring during the 2015 international season so far, in a squad comprising 17 forwards and 14 backs for the tournament in England from September 18 to October 31.

"We've become a really tight group and it was a very difficult process in picking only 31 players, but I know each player selected will travel to England with the full support of those team-mates who won't board the flight," said Cheika.

"Our primary focus throughout the Super Rugby competition, the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup was to select a balanced squad between youth, experience and form and this squad certainly delivers on this.
"It's also important that we select a squad that will handle the tournament play and our draw in particular at the Rugby World Cup, as well as maintain a strong competition for places in the team."

The Wallabies, who are in a tough World Cup Group A also including hosts England and Wales, head to the United States for a training camp ahead of the tournament and a final warm-up Test against the USA in Chicago.

Australia squad:

Backs: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Drew Mitchell, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Matt Giteau, Matt Toomua, Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Nick Phipps.

Forwards: Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Scott Fardy, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, Stephen Moore (capt), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Greg Holmes, Sekope Kepu, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Toby Smith.
Source: AFP