Injury-cursed Wallaby Kyle Godwin will start training this week in the hope of reigniting his international season after a knee problem derailed his Super Rugby finals plans.
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Godwin has set his sights on using the National Rugby Championship as the platform for hos hopes of being pick in the Wallabies squad for the end of year tour of Europe.
The ACT Brumbies' inside centre returned to the club's headquarters on Monday to begin his rehabilitation after suffering a grade-three medial ligament tear last month.
The Brumbies are also continuing to set their roster in stone for next year, with the club set to announce on Tuesday hooker Robbie Abel has agreed to a new deal.
The Brumbies have also been in talks to recruit Lachlan McCaffrey, while Peter Hewat is set to join the club as a backs coach.
Godwin moved to Canberra to take the next step in his career, but his knee injury ruined his chances of making his Super Rugby finals debut and has put his Wallabies ambitions on hold as he prepares for at least one more month.
Godwin, who turned 25 last week, has been plagued by injuries in his promising career, including shoulder and knee problems as well as a broken hand in his first season at the Brumbies this year.
"The doctors have been really happy with the progress of the knee, so I'll get out of this brace and start rehab," Godwin said.
"It was frustrating not to play finals and the Wallabies' end of year tour is at the back of my mind. But the focus is my knee at the moment and making sure I get that right.
"I'll try to get as much of the NRC see in, that's the plan. I'm not sure what's going on with injuries, luck just hasn't fallen my way. The knee and my hand earlier this year were freak accidents.
"But if I can work my way back on to the field and get some game time with in the NRC, hopefully I can do enough to earn a spot in the Wallabies."
The Wallabies have been hit by inside back injuries this year and Test coach Michael Cheika has picked just one specialist flyhalf - Bernard Foley - for the Bledisloe Cup opener.
Godwin will have to compete with the returning Kurtley Beale for the Test No. 12 jersey when he makes a comeback.
But he hopes he can find form for the NSW Country Eagles in the NRC, adamant the competition is the perfect place to start his road back to the Wallabies.
Godwin made his Test debut on the spring tour last year and joined the Brumbies as a marquee recruit after leaving the Western Force.
"I learnt a lot this year off guys like Christian Lealiifano and Stephen Larkham," Godwin said.
"We've got some great players coming back in next year in Christian and David Pocock, they're definitely going to boost the squad.
"This year was a great year. No one expected us to go as far as we did so hopefully we can go a little bit further next year."
Brumbies captain Sam Carter was axed from the Wallabies squad last week despite being statistically one of Australia's best lineout technicians this year.
Carter's Super Rugby statistics were better than Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Izack Rodda and Adam Coleman, but Cheika opted to cut the 27-year-old before the Bledisloe Cup opener.
Carter's Brumbies teammates Rory Arnold, Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa, Joe Powell, Henry Speight and Tevita Kuridrani will be pushing for Test selection for the clash against New Zealand.
