Uncapped trio in Wallabies squad for winter tour

The Wallabies have named three uncapped players in their squad of 27, for the November tour of Ireland, Argentina, England and Italy.

Australia Under-21 fly-half Matt Giteau will be third scrum-half while Waratahs hooker Adam Freier will be understudy for Jeremy Paul.

Queensland flanker David Croft also travels with the squad. Although uncapped, he has been named previously in Wallabies squads.

Australia play Argentina on November 2, Ireland on November 9, England on November 16 and Italy on November 23.

Selectors opted for a third scrum-half to cover for Wallaby skipper George Gregan, who is scheduled to fly home during the tour to attend the birth of his second child.

Ben Tune is also in the squad, even though he was found guilty last month by an Australian doping tribunal of taking the banned drug probenecid while being treated for a knee infection in 2001.

The tribunal found Tune guilty of doping but did not punish him, citing "exceptional circumstances".

The International Rugby Board is studying the decision, but Tune said he did not expect the board to take any action.

"I don't think about it at all now and, as far as I'm concerned, it's pretty much finished," he said.

"If they (IRB) wanted to stop me playing, I would have thought they would have done that by now."

The Wallaby squad:

Matthew Burke, Matt Cockbain, David Croft, Ben Darwin, Owen Finegan, Elton Flatley, Adam Freier, David Giffin, Matt Giteau, George Gregan, Justin Harrison, Daniel Herbert, Toutai Kefu, Chris Latham, Stephen Larkham, David Lyons, Stirling Mortlock, Patricio Noriega, Jeremy Paul, Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, George Smith, Nick Stiles, Ben Tune, Daniel Vickerman, Chris Whitaker, Bill Young.