The Canberra Vikings are set to be bolstered by the return of several under-utilised Wallabies for a National Rugby Championship grand final re-match in the opening round next week.
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New Vikings coach Nick Scrivener unveiled a 32-man squad on Wednesday and appointed Ben Hyne as the team's skipper just three games after his comeback from a knee reconstruction.
Scrivener is also waiting to find out if Wallabies Tom Banks, Joe Powell, Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Faingaa and Scott Sio will be available for selection for the clash against Queensland Country at Viking Park on September 1.
Electric fullback Banks is in contention to fill the vacant fullback role for the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday after Israel Folau injured his ankle last weekend. Sio, who has been battling a shoulder problem, is also hoping to be added to the Test team.
But the under-utilised Brumbies in the Walalbies squad, including Powell and Faingaa, will likely have use game time for the Vikings to launch his case for a gold jersey.
The Vikings will find out next week if any of the Canberra-based Wallabies are available for NRC duties at Viking Park, with the team to play in a ACT Kookaburras jersey for the first game of the season.
"[The NRC] is a really important stepping stone in the pathway in canberra rugby," Scrivener said.
"If those [Wallabies guys] become available, Rugby Australia have indicated they can play. Those guys might be in and out over the next period of time.
"But if they're not in [the Wallabies team], the only way to get in is to play well and put their hand up. This is the avenue to do that."
The Vikings will boast 19 players who have contracts with the ACT Brumbies, but Sam Carter, Tom Cusack and Lachlan McCaffrey have been rested from the NRC to give their bodies a break.
Out-of-favour Wallaby Rory Arnold will use the Vikings games to force his way back into Test selection contention, while Josh Mann-Rea is expected to make his comeback in the opening weeks after a serious hamstring injury ended his Super Rugby season.
The Vikings squad will assemble for the first time on Sunday and Scrivener has also picked some young guns, including teenage flyhalf Noah Lolesio and MacDougall Medallist Jacob Abel.
Former Australian under-20s prop Vunipola Fifita will move to Canberra and is also on the Brumbies radar, and former NSW centre Irae Simone will join the squad.
Hyne will step into the captaincy role despite playing just three games since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during the NRC last year.
The injury ruled him out for the entire Super Rugby campaign, but the Brumbies have put faith in the back-rower and offered him a one-year contract extension to give him a chance to relaunch his career.
"I'm very excited. I've only captained at a lower level with club [rugby]. So I'm excited and privileged," Hyne said.
"injuries are thing of rugby. You can't hold on to them, you move on as quickly as you can. With my knee there was an 11-month rehab block put in place and [the injury] hasn't been a thought in my mind so far.
"I'd just like to get back playing some good football. I'm not really looking too far ahead. We'll focus on Queensland Country and I'll run out there to do the best I can."
NRC ROUND ONE
September 1: Canberra Vikings v Queensland Country at Viking Park, 3pm.
Vikings squad: Jacob Abel, Rory Arnold, Tom Banks, Max Bode, BJ Edwards, Blake Enever, Folau Faingaa, Vunipola Fifita, Seth Going, Mack Hansen, Wharenui Hawera, Ben Hyne, Len Ikitau, Jordan Jackson-Hope, Luke Kimber, Brodie Leber, Les Leuluaialii-Makin, Noah Lolesio, Ryan Lonergan, Josh Mann-Rea, Connal McInerney, Andy Muirhead, Michael Oakman-Hunt, Chance Peni, Pedro Rolando, Tom Ross, Irae Simone, Dracy Swain, Lausii Taliauli, Sione Taula, Mitch Tye, Rob Valetini.
