That's the message from Canberra Vikings coach Wayne Southwell ahead of their National Rugby Championship clash with NSW Country Eagles at Viking Park on Sunday afternoon.

Allan Alaalatoa returns from his Wallabies debut against New Zealand and will battle it out with Waratahs props Paddy Ryan and Tom Robertson.

Another Wallaby, Josh Mann-Rea, will start at hooker for the Vikings with Tongan Sione Taula lining up as the other prop.

"It will be a really good clash up front, they've got a really good front row and so do we," Southwell said.

"That aspect alone for the purists in scrummaging will be be good and tough, we're expecting a really torrid forward encounter so we're ready for it and excited for it."

Alaalatoa will make the switch to tight-head prop to provide flexibility to partner fellow Brumbies and Wallabies teammate Scott Sio in the future.

"It's something that I'm looking forward to," Alaalatoa said. "Obviously it's going to take some time, which is why I'm coming back in to NRC and getting some more game time to build my confidence.

The 22-year-old said he is excited to play NRC after the whirl-wind of receiving his first test cap.

"It was obviously a dream come true for me and my family, when I was out there it probably didn't sink in until I saw my parents afterwards.

"It probably still hasn't sunk in at the moment, but I keep looking at the hat and thinking that it's not true."

Alaalatoa will be joined by fellow capped Wallabies Sam Carter, Mann-Rea, Henry Speight and Rory Arnold, who has been relegated to the bench despite scoring two tries against Queensland Country.

Arnold and winger Speight, as well as Eagles inside-centre Kyle Godwin, will likely be joining the Wallabies training camp in preparation for the match against South Africa in Brisbane on Saturday.

NRC ROUND 2

Sunday: Canberra Vikings v NSW Country Eagles at Viking Park, 3pm.

Vikings team: 15. Robbie Coleman, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Andrew Smith, 12. Jordan Jackson-Hope, 11. Lausii Taliauli, 10. Nick Jooste, 9. Joe Powell, 8. Jordan Smiler, 7. Jarrad Butler, 6. Tom Staniforth, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Blake Enever, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Josh Mann-Rea, 1. Sione Taula. Reserves: 16. Robbie Abel, 17. Faalelei Sione, 18. Les Leuluaialii-Makin, 19. Rory Arnold, 20. OJ Noa, 21. Dean Oakman-Hunt, 22. Brent Hamlin, 23. Isaac Thompson.

Eagles team: 15. Andrew Kellaway, 14. Reece Robinson, 13. David Horwitz, 12. Kyle Godwin, 11. Alex Newsome, 10. Andrew Deegan, 9. Jake Gordon, 8. Sam Ward, 7. Rowan Perry, 6. Samuel Figg, 5. Tim Buchanan, 4. Ned Hanigan, 3. Tom Robertson, 2. Tolu Latu, 1. Paddy Ryan. Reserves: 16. Folau Fainga'a, 18. Sam Needs, 17. Jed Gillespie, 19. Ryan McCauley, 20. Mark Baldwin, 21. Sam Croke, 22. Taylor Adams, 23. Angus Roberts.