Wallabies captain Michael Hooper will kept on ice for the July Test series against France, as coach Dave Rennie dashed hopes of a Super Rugby cameo for the winless Waratahs.
Hooper is back in Sydney and in quarantine after his Toyota Verblitz club was knocked out of the Japan Top League playoffs by the Panasonic Wild Knights at the weekend.
The Waratahs had hoped that Hooper could be available for the back end of the trans-Tasman tournament but Rennie shot down that prospect on Thursday.
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"He won't play," Rennie told Wide World of Sports as Australia officially launched its bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Sydney.
"When you consider he's just arrived back, he's in quarantine so he'll get out halfway through the week of round four.
"There's really no benefit for him or the Waratahs, I think, to play that final round.
"He's obviously been away from (partner) Kate for a big chunk of time, with her having to come home early, so I think it's important that he mentally refreshes, rips into some good training and be ready to go for us."
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Charlie Gamble and Carlo Tizzano will continue sharing duties at openside flanker in Hooper's absence as the Waratahs, 0-9 in 2021, hunt a miracle win against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.
A soft Waratahs defence was carved up for 10 Hurricanes tries in a bizarre 64-48 round loss at the SCG last weekend.
NSW has made just one change to that starting side, with winger James Turner a bolter following his Shute Shield heroics for Northern Suburbs.
"I thought the attack was excellent," Rennie said of the Waratahs.
"You'd argue that both defences weren't that great. There's a handful of defensive errors but a lot of individual tackle errors. One on one, you've just got to make your tackles.
"It doesn't matter how good your defensive system is if individuals aren't doing their job.
"Obviously a tough night for them defensively but I'm keen to see how they respond… Whits (co-coach Chris Whitaker) has talked a lot during the week about changing mindset. We know when they're at their best they can score points and so can the Kiwis."
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