Recalled winger Henry Speight hopes a Fijian showdown ignites an Australian derby on Friday night and fires another warning to World Rugby amid fears Pacific Island teams will be snubbed from a new competition.
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Speight will go head to head with Wallabies rival Marika Koroibete when the ACT Brumbies play the Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Park in a re-match of the round-one clash between the teams.
Players of Pacific Island descent were left shattered last week when news emerged a new world league could exclude Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
World Rugby has since moved to clarify its vision for the league, detailing a promotion and relegation system, but several union members are still opposed to the format.
Speight hoped Pacific Island teams would not be disadvantaged in any revamp after there was suggestion last week there would be no promotion or relegation for 12 years, prompting World Cup boycott concerns.
"It would rob rugby lovers around the world of the ultimate spectacle [if Pacific Island teams are snubbed]," Speight said.
"They're the entertainers of rugby, there are a lot of Samoan and Islanders playing here and in Europe. Even at the Brumbies 50 per cent of our players are of Pacific Island heritage.
"That was about five or 10 per cent when I came to Canberra in 2011. There's been some backlash to the suggestion, so hopefully they take that into account."
Speight and Koroibete will be jostling for Wallabies selection later this year as the pair chase World Cup selection for the tournament in Japan.
But before Wallabies coach Michael Cheika pulls national-interest players into a special camp on Sunday, the electrifying pair will go into battle for Super Rugby bragging rights.
Speight is returning to the Brumbies side after a hip injury forced him to watch the past two weeks from the sideline. The 30-year-old suffered the injury 15 minutes into the Brumbies' round-one loss to Melbourne, but played on for 40 more minutes because the ACT side was already hit with injury woes.
Speight scored four tries in the last four games of last season, but gave up a chance to chase Wallabies selection to sign a short-term deal with Irish club Ulster.
"To be back and starting this week is humbling, I'm excited and itching to get back into playing," Speight said.
"I loved our time away in Belfast playing for Ulster. But I'm really honoured to come back and I want to hit the ground running ... I probably only had one carry in round one but took a bang straight after that.
"It feels like I've been out of the game for the Brumbies for nine months, so I'm itching to get into it. The Rebels have a lot of firepower, so if we can individually turn up we can collectively contain them.
"My focus is just on my opposite [Koroibete] and trying to contain him. I think the mentality is right and hopefully we do a job as a group."
Speight is off contract at the end of the year and is yet to make a decision on his future, but he hopes to force his way back into Wallabies contention. Speight hasn't played a Test since November 25, 2017.
"The Wallabies are the pinnacle and you want to play at the highest level. As long as I'm playing in Australia, that's the goal," Speight said.
Meanwhile, World Rugby says it's proposed nations championship would have a potential pathway for all unions.
"It is incumbent on World Rugby to champion and represent the whole game, not just the top of the game, and we are committed to working with our union and player representative colleagues to ensure an equitable solution that works for all," World Rugby said in a statement.
Friday: Melbourne Rebels v ACT Brumbies at AAMI Park, 7.45pm. TV time: Live on Fox Sports.
Brumbies: 1. Scott Sio, 2. Folau Faingaa, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Sam Carter, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. David Pocock, 8. Tom Cusack, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Andy Muirhead, 12. Tom Wright, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Henry Speight, 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. James Slipper, 18. Les Leuluaialii-Makin, 19. Murray Douglas, 20. Pete Samu, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Wharenui Hawera, 23. Chance Peni.
Rebels: 1. Matt Gibbon, 2. Robbie Abel, 3. Sam Talakai, 4. Adam Coleman, 5. Matt Philip, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Brad Wilkin, 8. Isi Naisarani, 9. Will Genia, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Billy Meakes, 13. Tom English, 14. Jack Maddocks, 15. Dane Haylett-Petty. Reserves: 16. Anaru Rangi, 17. Tetera Faulkner, 18. Jermaine Ainsley, 19. Luke Jones, 20. Ross Haylett-Petty, 21. Richard Hardwick, 22. Michael Ruru, 23. Reece Hodge.
