Wallaby-in-waiting Henry Speight will play his first game in more than two months on Saturday as he targets a Test debut on the spring tour of Europe next month.
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ACT Brumbies centre Christian Lealiifano will be named in the Wallabies team on Tuesday to play the New Zealand on the weekend, ending his 12-month exile from the starting Test side.
Speight is in camp with the Wallabies in Brisbane in preparation for the Bledisloe Cup against New Zealand on the weekend.
But the Brumbies winger will make his comeback for the Canberra Vikings in the curtain-raiser match in his first game since the Super Rugby semi-final loss to the NSW Waratahs.
Speight has been battling a hamstring injury, but is back to full training and will play 50 minutes as a "needed boost" for Canberra's slim hopes of making the National Rugby Championship finals.
The Vikings need to beat Brisbane City and then rely on the NSW Country Eagles beating the Perth Spirit to secure a place in the play-offs.
"Henry is a needed boost for us, we've had a rough couple of weeks and he'll give the team a lift," said Vikings coach Dan McKellar.
"He'll bring plenty of enthusiasm and want to get his hands on the footy.
"I can't see [the Wallabies] backflipping on letting him play, he needs to play rugby and get some game time under his belt because this is the last chance before the spring tour."
The Wallabies took a cautious approach with Lealiifano last week, ruling him out of Canberra's crucial loss to the Eagles to prepare him for a Test comeback this week.
Lealiifano is set to be named as the Wallabies' starting inside centre on Tuesday, replacing Brumbies teammate Matt Toomua who is recovering from back-to-back concussions.
Brisbane City could get a Wallabies boost of its own, with former Test skipper Will Genia in line to play if he is overlooked for the squad to play the All Blacks.
Genia is battling with Brumbies No. 9 Nic White and Nick Phipps to be the scrumhalf duo for the Test.
Quade Cooper is also part of Brisbane City's set-up, but he will almost certainly be on the Wallabies' bench for the Test.
The Vikings have struggled to get any momentum in the inaugural NRC season, winning just two of their eight games so far.
They were backed as heavy favourites to win the title given the Brumbies players on their roster, but their finals fate is out of their hands.
"I don't know what their plans are with Genia, will wait and see what happens with Wallabies camp," McKellar said.
"The only thing we can worry about this weekend is making sure we win. If we do that, we at least give ourselves a chance."
Saturday
National Rugby Championship round 9: Brisbane City v Canberra Vikings at Suncorp Stadium, 4.35pm.
