Red-headed Brumbies skyscraper Peter Kimlin won’t have to travel far if he receives a Wallabies call-up today.

Gregan to play against the Wallabies

Kimlin is currently training with the 34-man Australian squad in Sydney where the spring tour replacement for injured lock James Horwill will be announced.

The raw-boned rookie heads the thinning queue of second-row specialists if coach Robbie Deans wants to make a like-for-like selection.

With tall towers Hugh McMeniman and Dean Mumm also in the squad and able to start at either lock or blind-side flanker, Deans has flexibility in his pack and may choose to opt for an extra back-rower.

While both started a Test each in the second-row this season, McMeniman and Mumm are eying off the No.6 jersey with Rocky Elsom now playing in Ireland.

Kimlin’s Brumbies teammate and 2007 World Cup tourist, Stephen Hoiles, would be a deserving selection if another loose forward is wanted.

But with an already high number of back-rowers, Kimlin is seen to have the inside rail. Also at 23, the 198cm, 114kg forward looms as a perfect project player behind seasoned duo Nathan Sharpe and Mark Chisholm.

Australia A coach Phil Mooney likened Kimlin, who played all 13 matches for the Brumbies this year, to squadmate Chisholm who has the chance to end a frustrating year on a high with Horwill injured and Dan Vickerman playing in England.

Kimlin impressed in his five games for Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup, standing out with a try-scoring double against Japan and producing a bone-crunching all-round display against Fiji.

“He’s a raw-boned player and he’s a good athlete,” said Mooney.

“He’s not to dissimilar to Mark Chisholm in the way they both look and play.

“He’d have to be reasonably close, I thinking Robbie would be looking closely at him.”

Kimlin has been going through his paces with the Wallabies along with fellow Brumbies Julian Salvi, Falesi Ma’afu and Josh Holmes following an invitation from Deans.

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