In the end, Williams' only headache was over the lock forward position, with Edinburgh's Alastair Kellock the unfortunate player to miss out.

Scott MacLeod's chances of staying were ruined by a calf strain suffered in the warm-up before the match against the NSW Waratahs, so it was Newcastle's Craig Hamilton who remained with the Test squad.

"Hamilton has been outstanding, but there is not a hair between them,'' said Williams.

"It is a close call with the young locks but we can't keep them all.''

The original plan had been for Williams to cut 10 players, but injury concerns over number eight Jon Petrie and flanker Scott Gray meant Andy Hall and Paul Dearlove - himself a late replacement for Cameron Mather - were retained in Australia on standby.

Petrie has been cleared of a serious neck injury after taking a bang during the Waratahs game, but he had not been cleared to play at the weekend by the time the discarded players left for Sydney airport on Wednesday.

Similarly, Gray suffered bad bruising to his knee and did not pull up as well as doctor James Robson would have liked. Both players have sat out training.

Scotland's tour has been beset by injuries and three of those called in as late replacements - prop Colin Noon, centre Matt Dey and scrum-half Rory Lawson - were also flying home.

The rest of the eight-man party were made up of injured players, with Bath winger Simon Danielli the most notable casualty having carried a back injury all tour. If fit, he would have been in contention for a Test start.

Winger Stephen Cranston had been carrying both an ankle and knee problem while prop Allan Jacobson aggravated a shoulder injury suffered earlier in the tour.

Though none of the injuries are serious, Dr Robson said MacLeod would run the risk of tearing his calf if he played on.

Danielli and Cranston could feasibly play a game tomorrow, but they could not cope with
the intensive preparations that Scotland embarked on today ahead of Sunday's first Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne.

Chris Paterson will remain with the squad in Australia as he continues to recover from surgery on his fractured cheek.

Andy Miller, who was called in as late cover for the NSW Country game last week, was released on Monday.