Wallabies star Lote Tuqiri was cleared to go on the Spring Tour, but coach Robbie Deans warned the powerful winger would be sent home if he suffered a fitness setback.

Tuqiri and No.8 Wycliff Palu, both of whom are recovering from knee injuries, will leave Australia with the rest of the 34-man squad on Monday.

Deans said Tuqiri and lock Peter Kimlin (quad) wouldn't be considered for next Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in Hong Kong and rated Palu unlikely, though he wouldn't rule out lock-backrower Hugh McMeniman (ankle).

Tuqiri, who underwent knee surgery several weeks ago, resumed running a week ago.

"Lote is a wee way away from playing and we will just have to keep monitoring him," Deans said.

"He's got a fair amount to do and if in doing that work he suffers a setback, then essentially we will send him home."

Palu resumed running with the team.

Tuqiri, one of the veterans of a relatively young Wallabies backline, was relieved just to be getting on the plane leaving Sydney on Monday.

"I knew I was a really good chance but I didn't want to predict anything that wasn't going to happen," Tuqiri said.

"I started running again at the end of last week and I was coming along pretty well and getting there, so I'll hopefully be back training with the boys next week."

Tuqiri couldn't recall a Wallabies squad working harder in the lead-up to a Spring Tour.

"There's a good feeling among the boys. We're pretty keen to go and get out of this," he said.

"I don't think we've worked this hard in this block before a tour for a while, certainly not since I've been here anyway.

"The boys are keen and ready to go and you just a feel that it's going to be a positive tour."

Deans was happy with the way the squad had responded during the four weekly camps leading up to Monday's departure.

"We've put into them what we've wanted to and we've drawn a response from that and I'm pretty happy with where we've got to, now we'll find out how it stacks up," Deans said.

Following the Bledisloe clash, Australia play matches against Italy, England, France, Wales and the Barbarians.

"It's a very tough tour when you look at it on paper," Tuqiri said.

"It's like `oh geez', none of these games are easy.

"A punter can look at it and say the Italians `yeah they will be pretty easy'. I think we went into the game (against Italy) a couple of years ago thinking the same thing and they rattled us.

"I think the backs went into that game thinking we will score a few tries and we just didn't see the ball.

"A lot of the boys caught a cold."

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