ACT Brumbies winger Speight returned to Canberra last week after playing his role as a reserve for the Australian men's sevens team at the Olympic Games.

He is set to return to training this week to put himself in contention to join the Canberra Vikings for their National Rugby Championship opener against Queensland Country on Saturday.

The Wallabies were decimated by back line injuries in their Bledisloe Cup capitulation last weekend, losing playmakers Matt Toomua, Matt Giteau and the versatile Rob Horne.

That could open the door for Speight to be included in some capacity if Wallabies coach Michael Cheika needs to reshuffle his deck.

Speight only played five Super Rugby games for the Brumbies and a handful of sevens matches as injuries ruined his quest for Olympic game time.

It's understood Wallabies coaches have already discussed the prospect of Speight being used during the Rugby Championships if he can prove himself in the NRC.

Speight is one of several players who will use the NRC to press their claims for a Test recall, with locks Sam Carter and Rory Arnold also keen to return to Wallabies gold.

The injection of Super Rugby talent could set up a tantalising match-up between Carter, Arnold and NRL, Super Rugby and World Cup winner Brad Thorn, who has come out of retirement to join Queensland Country.

Vikings coach Wayne Southwell will name his skipper on Tuesday as his team aims for NRC redemption after losing the grand final last season.

"It's good having guys [with Wallabies experience] around the group at the moment," Southwell said.

"The NRC is about giving younger guys a feel of what it's like to be in one of those environments and that's certainly what they're getting.

"Henry's a good person to have around. We'll train this week and then we'll see how it fits and works together after those sessions."

The Vikings have ramped up training since the end of the Canberra first grade rugby competition and Southwell has a 36-man squad at his disposal.

Teenage playmaker Nick Jooste is likely to set up in the flyhalf role while there are also 20 Brumbies-contracted players on the roster.

Speight played the first five games of the Super Rugby season but fractured the bone above his eye in the Brumbies' loss to the Cape Town Stormers in March.

In his comeback for the Australian sevens almost three months later, Speight damaged the medial ligament in his knee and his Olympic dream appeared over.

However, he made a return in time to be included in the sevens squad as a reserve and travelled to Rio with the team as a back-up.

The Wallabies have limited wingers available with Brumbies flyer Joseph Tomane also recovering from injury. Speight looms as a fresh end-of-year inclusion as he returns to the 15-a-side game.

Thorn is at the opposite end of his career, with the former All Black and Brisbane Bronco ending his retirement for the NRC campaign.

The 41-year-old is old enough to be the father of some of his Vikings opponents, but Southwell said the players won't take a backward step.

"It will be huge if he's playing ... Queensland Country's going to be up for it, that's for sure," Southwell said.

"There's a good feel at the moment and that's a huge plus, the squad has come together really well."

NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE

Saturday: Queensland Country v Canberra Vikings at Bond University, 3pm.