Wallabies coach John Connolly has compared Australia's rugby depth to second string nations Wales and Ireland as he took charge of a national squad for the first time.

Connolly and a 43-strong Wallabies train-on squad assembled in Sydney for a three-day camp ahead of Australia's first Test of the year, against England on June 11 in Sydney.

"We're a bit like Wales and a couple of other countries, Ireland, when we get a few wounded we struggle," Connolly said.

"We saw what happened in November last year so we need our best players on deck."

But Connolly said Australia, currently ranked fourth in the world behind New Zealand, South Africa and France, still had the talent to challenge for the World Cup title next year.

"I think we've got the talent to be right in the mix, there's no doubt," he said.

"We've got a very hard draw, we're headed down the road of South Africa or England in the quarter finals.

"We're going to have to beat New Zealand possibly in the semi-finals to make it through or France, something we've never ever done before in the history of Australian rugby, beaten three teams in three weeks on the bounce like that."

In the job for just four months, the Australian mentor said many of his players still bore the scars of last year's disappointing campaign, which resulted in the sacking of his predecessor Eddies Jones.

"There's no doubt there are scars on a lot of these players and they've got to prove to us they're good enough to go forward," he said.

Having only reiterated that most of the positions in the Test side were up for grabs, Connolly said ten or eleven spots had now been pencilled in.

But train-on squad discards David Lyons, Bill Young, Morgan Turinui and Peter Hewat might still force their way in to the side, which will be announced on Monday.

"There's a couple outside that (the train-on squad) who'll be strongly considered," he said.

"There are a couple of candidates there, there's no doubt, that will be discussed.

"The whole team's up for review and I said right at the start there are probably only one or two positions we think are pencilled in at the start of the Super 14.

"Obviously we've got a few more pencilled in now but it's competitive in a number of positions.

"We've probably got ten or eleven pencilled in.

"(We're looking at) a couple of areas, the front row, the back row, if (Matt) Giteau's out which way we go there (in the centres)."

Connolly said the Australian selectors were still divided on the vacant positions.

"We've had a number of selection meetings with the three assistant coaches and (selector) Michael O'Connor.

"We lost eight out of the last nine Tests, we've had teams that have finished third, sixth and a couple at the bottom of the Super 14 so opinions are very divided about who should be on the team."

Unlike last year, Connolly will virtually have an injury-free roster to choose from with flyhalf Stephen Larkham's hamstring injury progressing well and only halfback Sam Cordingley and inside centre Giteau likely to be unavailable.

"Matt Giteau is less likely to play in the first Test than likely," Connolly said.

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