James O'Connor's unforgiven blunder has handed tough-tackling centre Anthony Faingaa his big Rugby World Cup audition in Saturday night's Tri-Nations decider against the All Blacks in Brisbane.

O'Connor was on Monday night suspended until August 28 for failing to attend last week's Rugby World Cup squad announcement and team photo.

The ban also rules the goalkicking winger out of the Australian Barbarians' clash with Canada on the Gold Coast on Friday night.

A repentant O'Connor was also slugged with a $10,000 suspended fine.

His axing sparked a backline reshuffle to be announced on Tuesday and it appears Faingaa will be the big beneficiary with a promotion to outside centre and Adam Ashley-Cooper shifting to O'Connor's right wing.

That's where they lined up before the media were shut out of a Ballymore training session where O'Connor was running with Barbarians players.

Even before the Australian Rugby Union was to bring down its judgment on O'Connor, coach Robbie Deans seemed to have his mind made up.

Speaking on Monday morning, seasoned hooker Stephen Moore admitted a one-match ban would hurt the Wallabies' prospects of ending a 10-year Tri Nations drought.

"We'd love to have James playing on the weekend," Moore said. "He's an important part of our team, that's for sure, on the field. You'd rather have him on the field than not."

Alas, the 21-year-old is out and Faingaa looks in, with the Queensland midfielder and defensive linchpin having already put himself on the verge of a cherished start with an excellent cameo off the bench in the 14-9 defeat of South Africa in Durban on August 13.

A strong display, cutting down the world's best centre-pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith with his trademark low tackles, would put the 24-year-old in calculations for a start in the World Cup opener against Italy on September 11.

Faingaa played at both inside and outside centre during the Reds' Super Rugby-winning campaign but Deans looks set to leave Pat McCabe at No.12 against the All Blacks.

The versatile Ashley-Cooper has been a Mr Fix-It since he made his Test debut in 2005 when Eddie Jones pulled him out of the Subiaco Oval crowd to replace a dazed Elton Flatley.

His utility value, and proven big-match ability on the wing, has saved Deans an awkward call to bring in World Cup omission Lachie Turner as a specialist finisher.

Ashley-Cooper was out of sorts in a variety of positions for the battling Brumbies this year but has enjoyed his return to the Wallabies at No.13.

However he admitted there was a lot riding on Saturday night's clash for him, with the World Cup just a fortnight away and specialist outside centre Rob Horne making his comeback for the Barbarians.

"It's important for me this week as history's shown selection is never guaranteed, so it's a very important game for me leading into a World Cup," said Ashley-Cooper, who has a knack of scoring tries against New Zealand.

"The squad has been boosted by a few returning from injury and Rob Horne is an excellent outside centre so he's certainly going to push the boundaries there."

Ashley-Cooper and McCabe were overwhelmed by Nonu and Smith in the 30-14 defeat in Auckland this month and the 55-Test utility back warned of the All Blacks midfield, particularly with Sonny-Bill Williams expected to be on the bench.

"You certainly have to be on your game defensively to shut the likes of them down," he said.

"They're dangerous no matter what.

"We have to be at our best to compete with the best."

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