Foley, now the NSW forwards mentor, and Sharpe's Western Force coach Graham both found it hard to fathom the 33-year-old's Tuesday axing from Australia's 24-man travel party to New Zealand.

The omission has left a dark cloud hanging over the Wallabies' most-capped current player's World Cup claims and chances of becoming just the fifth Australian to notch the 100-Test milestone.

Coach Robbie Deans surprisingly overlooked Sharpe for Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks, instead preferring fringe duo Dan Vickerman and Sitaleki Timani for his 24-man travel squad.

Deans has not explained his selection and it's unclear whether Sharpe is now seen as No.5 in the second-row pecking order and near the World Cup scrapheap with fellow stalwart Matt Giteau or simply being given time to play 80 minutes of Brisbane club rugby with University.

The Force captain was a Wallabies stand-out last year and has carried that form on in Super Rugby but had been leapfrogged by both Queensland locks James Horwill and Rob Simmons after the Reds title success.

Sharpe was a reserve in the last-start 39-20 victory over South Africa but his experience was highlighted by captaining the team in the last 15 minutes when Rocky Elsom then David Pocock were replaced.

Both Graham and Foley hoped the chance to test out Vickerman off the bench and add to Timani's development were the reasons behind the dumping.

Graham, Australia's backs coach in 2009-10, rated Sharpe among the top four second-rowers in world rugby along with All Black Brad Thorn and Springboks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.

He said Sharpe deserved to be level-pegging with Horwill and Simmons for the Wallabies second-row starting positions.

"Those three locks going forward into the World Cup would probably be the best three locks in any team in world rugby," Graham said.

"I think any guy with his (Sharpe's) experience, his personality - he does want to lead and help people.

"In a very intense tournament over six or eight weeks, he'll be invaluable." The Wallabies forwards coach at the 2007 World Cup and through to 2008, Foley rated the depth in Australia's lock stocks as amazing and felt there was little gap between the top six, including Dean Mumm.

But he also felt Sharpe could be sorely missed if overlooked for the World Cup squad of 30, to be named on August 18.

"He's a player that in a big game, in a World Cup final, you would be able to call in ... guys that have runs on the board are going to be invaluable," Foley told AAP.

"His leadership is something players look to, and strong leadership and actions in pressure times are the things that win World Cups." Giteau was again left out of the Wallabies squad as rookie halfback Nick Phipps was replaced by Luke Burgess, who returns from a broken hand to sit on the bench.

Winger Lachie Turner was also called in.

With fellow No.10-12 option Berrick Barnes notifying Deans he was available for Cup selection after overcoming a series of head knocks, Giteau's place is in serious doubt.

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