It says something about both Tom Wright's talent and character that Dave Rennie asked for him to be sized up for another Wallabies jersey without as much as a minute on the park since December.
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A knee injury had kept the ACT Brumbies winger sidelined for every minute of the club's Super Rugby AU campaign.
It was something of a cruel twist the day the Brumbies played their lone pre-season trial this year, when Wright's first Wallabies jersey arrived at his door in a brand new frame.
The 23-year-old had naturally wondered, sitting on a pile of tackle bags outside the Canberra Stadium change rooms last week, if he might be behind the eight-ball when Rennie prepared to announce a 40-man squad for a camp later this month.
Names like Suliasi Vunivali, Marika Koroibete, Filipo Daugunu and even Brumbies teammate Andy Muirhead seemed certainties. Yet when they pack their bags to head to Sanctuary Cove, Wright will be there with them.
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Now he says the best is yet to come after he made his return from a knee injury in Friday night's narrow two-point victory over the winless NSW Waratahs.
"It's only early stages but there is definitely plenty to build on. Plenty to come still," Wright said.
"It's obviously a little bit of a confidence boost [to be named in the Wallabies squad] considering I was not playing. But that wasn't really where my focus was to be fair, I was just aiming to get back on and my football would sort itself out.
"It is nice, really pleased to be a part of a squad like that again and hopefully I can finish off the season well here and focus on that sort of stuff after.
"There were definitely a few areas I can have a look at in review and get back up to speed again [after the Waratahs game], just from a game sense and awareness point of view.
"I dropped one ball in open play which I was a little bit disappointed in, but other than that I had a few touches I was pretty happy with. It wasn't too bad of a way to get my feet back on the field.
"Regardless of how they come sometimes, it's good to take them as they do. A win is a win, regardless, especially away from home.
"We've got another couple of away games before ideally wrapping up before the finals. We've got to be on our toes and make sure our preparation is right after a tough game in Sydney."
Wright scored a try and provided some nice touches in his return for a Brumbies outfit that was below its best against a Waratahs side determined to bounce back from a tumultuous week.
Now the Brumbies turn their attention to a top of the table showdown against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday night, a contest which could define the finals picture.
"We spoke to Tommy a lot about it, just focus on doing the basics well. He gets an opportunity in space, we know he is dangerous," Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said about Wright's return.
"He had some good involvements, he'll be better for the run as well. He has been out for a long time, he hasn't played since that last Test match. He trained really well over the past couple of weeks but there is nothing like match conditioning.
"[The Waratahs] tested our backfield, our pendulum defence, and as wingers and fullbacks you've got to work hard.
"He did some good things there, it's a shame that try in the corner, he missed that one, because that probably changes the game."
SUPER RUGBY AU ROUND EIGHT
Saturday: Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Lang Park, 7.45pm. Broadcast: Live on Stan Sport and Gem.