Speight sided with caution and missed the Canberra Vikings' win against Queensland Country at Viking Park after feeling a slight strain in his hamstring.

The Canberra side powered on without Speight, securing a 26-20 triumph to score their second win of the National Rugby Championship.

Wallabies hopefuls Christian Lealiifano and Joseph Tomane had strong outings as they push their case for a Test recall.

But Fijian-born Speight's Wallabies dream hinges on how his hamstring recovers after medical staff delayed his comeback just days before he becomes eligible to play for the Wallabies.

He is expected to join the Wallabies in camp on the Gold Coast this week and it is widely believed Test coach Ewen McKenzie will inject him immediately into international action against Argentina next weekend.

"We didn't want to risk him ... I think he will be right if he's called on," said Vikings coach Dan McKellar.

"He hasn't played a game since [the end of July], but he's a natural footballer and he'll be ready to go. There's no point waiting too long to get him in there."

Speight has been waiting for the chance to play for Australia since moving to Canberra in 2010.

An IRB eligibility debacle and rules technicality forced him into international limbo and the 26-year-old has been patiently biding his time in the ACT Brumbies' line-up.

The Vikings powered on with Lealiifano, who shifted to fly-half, having his best game in the NRC and relished the chance to have more of an impact as the chief playmaker.

McKellar has challenged his team to erase the simple error from its game to prove Canberra can be a title contender.

The Vikings have a bye next week before playing the Sydney Stars on September 20.

"The simple errors we make at training are letting us down in the game. I want to stay positive, but the reality is that if we want to give this competition a shake, we have to cut out the simple errors," McKellar said.

"It will take time and Queensland Country were ready to take it to us ... we have to work out our identity and the way we want to play."

Queensland Country hit the front in the first half when former Test flanker Beau Robinson scored from close range and the visitors took a 13-8 lead.

The scores were locked at 13-all at half-time, but Robbie Coleman proved the match winner for Canberra. First he set up a try for Nigel Ah Wong and then scored one of his own to lift the Vikings to a win.

Tomane had a mixed afternoon, handing Queensland Country their first try when he ran it from inside his own in-goal area and his speculation pass landed in Clynton Knox's hands.

"It's good just to be back and the end result was what we were after. I've got a fair bit of work to do conditioning wise, but I felt good given I haven't done much," Tomane said.

"The game was a lot faster than I expected, which is good. I'll run my butt off this week to get that fitness ... I'm not even thinking about [the Wallabies]."

AT A GLANCE

CANBERRA VIKINGS 26 (Jarrad Butler, Jerome Nuimata, Nigel Ah Wong, Robbie Coleman tries; Jesse Mogg 2 conversions) bt QUEENSLAND COUNTRY 20 (Clynton Knox, Beau Robinson James Turner tries; Matt Brandon 2 conversions) at Viking Park on Saturday.