Waratahs coach Bob Dwyer says Australian selectors could do a lot worse than picking former Wallaby Pat Howard in the squad for the upcoming Lions and Tri-Nations series.

Howard is returning to Australia next season to resume his Super 12 career after a successful stint with Leicester. He was named the English premiership player of the year and on Saturday completed his English commitments with a match-winning performance for the Barbarians against England at Twickenham.

The 27-year-old made his Wallaby debut as a 19-year-old and played 20 Tests before joining Leicester over three years ago.

Queensland flyhalf Elton Flatley is strongly tipped to get the first nod as the Wallaby inside-centre for the upcoming series against the Lions. But there's no doubt, Howard presents an interesting option as the Wallabies look to find a long-term replacement for Tim Horan.

"If they don't think seriously about him for the Lions Tests I'd be very surprised, especially with the injury to Stirling Mortlock," Dwyer told AAP. "It's not that they don't have any other alternatives but I think Pat has certainly got to be one of the guys considered.

"Pat is playing very, very well. He can very much act as a foil to Daniel Herbert. If you leave Pat, he'll take the space. If you don't leave Pat, he can make some space. I think he'd make quite a good foil for him."

Howard, however, was not surprised to miss out on the initial 30-man squad when it was announced on Monday and is looking forward to a decent break and a stint as a spectator for the upcoming Tests. He is also yet to finalise which Super 12 side he will play for next season.

"I was absolutely not expecting to be selected," Howard said. "I understand, especially after coaching this year, that selection is not an easy thing to do and I'm a little bit down the pecking order in terms of what they want to do.

"I've been away such a long time they really don't know what level I'm at. But there's Holbeck, Gray and Flatley already in the squad and they have all played Test matches and they can all play 12 so I don't think there's a massive shortage.

"It would be nice but I've been around rugby all my life, my father was a coach and a selector, and I know what they're thinking and I know that I'm not going to be considered and to be honest I'm really relaxed about that. So I'm just going to sit back, enjoy my life for a while, maybe do a bit of snowboarding, watch the Test matches and see how it goes."