AUSTRALIA head coach Joe Schmidt hit back at the British and Irish Lions today over their warning he is contractually obliged to release his stars to their Super Rugby franchises throughout the tour.

Lions chief executive Ben Calveley on Monday called for all Wallabies to be allowed to represent the Western Force, Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies in the build-up to the Test series, stating their involvement is part of the tour agreement.

Head coach Andy Farrell wants his squad to be battle-hardened by the time international hostilities commence on July 19, but Schmidt has said he will ring-fence a core of 25 players for the warm-up game against Fiji on July 6 to ensure they avoid injury.

Only Saturday’s opponents the Western Force are certain to have access to their full contingent of Wallabies, with Schmidt insisting it is unrealistic to expect front-line operators such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Len Ikitau to double up for their franchise and country.

“There’s some serious plate-spinning at the moment, trying to get ready,” Schmidt told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The ambition is there will be some going back to the Reds and some going back to the Waratahs.

“But in reality, the Lions have got their squad. Are they going to play their best team every week? That’s unlikely. So are we going to play all the same players every week?

“We play Fiji on a Sunday and the Waratahs play on a Saturday night. So it’s not like you can play Saturday and Sunday night against a team like the Lions. It would be counterproductive.

“I’m not sure whether Andy was part of that discussion or whether it was just coming from the CEO, but I’ve read the tours agreement and it’s having the best intention to have the highest-quality players available and playing.

“It’s not as specific as saying every Wallaby from a state or a club has to be available to play every game that the Lions come through on.”