Taniela Tupou's three tasks in fight to reclaim Wallabies jersey as Waratahs dare to dream in daunting clash with Lions

NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has set Taniela Tupou three tasks against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday as the enigmatic prop fights to reclaim his Wallabies jersey.

Tupou will start at tighthead prop for the Waratahs at Sydney's Allianz Stadium while fellow Wallabies squad member Andrew Kellaway has been named on the right wing after also being released from national duties.

Tupou is tipped to move to France to play his club rugby next season, but Australia could desperately do with his destructive qualities after an indifferent Super Rugby Pacific campaign in which he openly struggled for confidence.

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"Nella at scrum time and Kells' experience on both sides of the ball - it's invaluable," McKellar told reporters on Thursday as the sun finally came out.

Wide World of Sports asked McKellar what his demands on Tupou would be.

"To go out there in set piece first and foremost, back that up with physicality and the ability to repeat it," he said.

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"They are the three things I talk to tight forwards about every day. I want him to be really good around scrum, lineout, maul and then impose himself on the game as we know he can do with ball in hand and without it...

"So great chance for him to really stamp his case for selection for the Test series. Dominant set piece is a big part of what we do. Ideally, we can get dominance at scrum time, because off the back of that you get field position, you are in the penalty count, and you game just flows from there."

The Wallabies play Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday with Allan Alaalatoa, Tom Robertson and Zane Nonggorr providing coach Joe Schmidt tighthead options.

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The Lions have flexed their muscle by putting more than 50 points on both the Western Force and Queensland Reds.

The bookmakers have therefore understandably written off NSW, which finished eighth of 11 teams in Super Rugby Pacific this season.

"You just have to put them under pressure. They're a quality side, and as I've said to the players all week… this is a Test match," McKellar said.

"We are not playing Super Rugby or anything else. We are playing a high-quality Test team. But they've got two arms and two legs, and you just have to put them under pressure.

"The Force and the Reds, they have done that, but being able to do it and sustain it for long periods of time is the challenge.

"They bring on eight high-quality Test players off the bench.

"It's a fair challenge. But as has been proven in the past, it's certainly doable. You just have to be very good."

The Lions will name their team at 8pm on Thursday (AEST).

WARATAHS (1-15): Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins, Taniela Tupou, Fergus Lee-Warner, Miles Amatosero, Rob Leota, Charlie Gamble, Hugh Sinclair (c), Teddy Wilson, Jack Bowen, Darby Lancaster, Joey Walton, Lalakai Foketi, Andrew Kellaway, Lawson Creighton

Reserves: Mahe Vailanu, Jack Barrett, Daniel Botha, Matt Philip, Jamie Adamson, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Henry O'Donnell