Queensland's Cooper has declared himself ''100 per cent'' for the round-one blockbuster between the Brumbies and Reds at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

It sets up another flyhalf battle between Toomua and Cooper, who first clashed as Queensland schoolboy rivals almost a decade ago.

The pair teamed up as the Wallabies' inside centre-flyhalf combination in Europe last year.

But after playing second fiddle to Cooper since he was a teenager, Toomua is ready to take a shot at being Australia's chief playmaker.

''To be fair, back then [in schoolboy rugby] I didn't really even see myself as competing against [Cooper]. I was more just trying to win the second spot behind him,'' Toomua said.

''But that's different now. You always look up at who's in front of you and that's still the case.

''I'll just keep going the way I am, I've grown in a lot of things and learnt [from the Wallabies tour] … but at the Brumbies we're team first and that's my job.''

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie will be in the crowd as Toomua's solid defence and power running clashes with Cooper's unpredictable brilliance.

Cooper was stretchered off in a neck brace in the Reds' trial against the Melbourne Rebels last weekend.

''It was one of the scariest moments of my footy career,'' Cooper said.

''I was pretty scared and in a position you'd never want to see anyone in. I am very grateful to be standing in front of you without any serious damage.''

Toomua is well known for his bone-crunching defence against rival playmakers.

But Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said the Brumbies wouldn't target Cooper's injury.

''We're aware of Quade's skill set and we're aware he copped a knock last week,'' Larkham said.

''But we're not a side that targets that sort of stuff.

''We're going out there to play our own game and things will pan out the same way they always do for us.''

The Brumbies will name their team on Thursday for the round-one match.

Larkham is waiting to see how winger Henry Speight (ribs) and Sam Carter (calf) recover after a physical training session on Tuesday.

Luckless Wallaby Pat McCabe is set to be injected at inside centre with Tevita Kuridrani pushing for a spot and new recruit Jarrad Butler also in contention to play against his former Queensland teammates.

For Toomua and Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White, it's a chance for the Wallabies ''back-ups'' to test themselves against the incumbent Australian 9-10 combination of Will Genia and Cooper.

Toomua and White both made their Test debuts last year.

''For me and Whitey, I think we have a lot to thank Quade and Will for. We've watched them and have seen how they can change a game,'' Toomua said.

''We look up to that … we're looking to try to push for that [Test] selection and prove ourselves against a good team. You definitely keep an eye on it; you'd be lying if you said you didn't.''

Toomua said the Brumbies couldn't afford ''mindless'' one-out defence against Queensland's unpredictable attacking style, imploring his teammates to hunt in packs to shut down Cooper and Genia.

Queensland coach Richard Graham expects the Brumbies to employ the same game plan that lifted them into the Super Rugby final last season.

But Larkham said his team would be given more freedom to attack from long range.

''We won't go away from what gave us success last year. We know the formula which works for Super Rugby,'' Larkham said.

''We'll chance our arm a little bit more … Last year we played field position and kicked out of our half, but we'll take chances.''