ACT Brumbies teenager Nick Jooste hopes his Australian under-20s recall can be a stepping stone to a Super Rugby debut after finally breaking an 18-month injury curse.
Jooste is one of four junior Brumbies picked to play for the Australia against Samoa at the Oceania championships on the Gold Coast.
The 19-year-old's body has struggled with the transition from promising schoolboy to Super Rugby hopeful after moving from Perth to Canberra last season.
But Jooste, who will form a halves pairing with fellow Brumby Ryan Lonergan, is confident he has buried his injury demons and the under-20s campaign and kickstart his career.
"It's been a bit of a slow start to the year but it's good to be putting the boots back on and having a hit out on Friday," Jooste said.
"I tore my quad early in the pre-season and I've been battling that for the past three months or so.
"I re-did it in an ACT under-20s game so I was out again, but I'm back and good to go again. The year hasn't gone how I planned it to, so hopefully this kickstarts it now."
Brumbies contracted duo Jooste and Lonergan will join ACT junior Len Ikatau in the starting XV for the first game of the championships while Darcy Swain will make his impact from the bench.
The Australian under-20s side will play Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand at the tournament which doubles as a warm-up event for the world championships in George at the end of May.
Jooste was just the sixth player to sign a Super Rugby contract while still at school when the Brumbies offered him a two-year deal at the end of 2015.
The talented flyhalf has a booming boot and silky skills that have drawn comparisons to Wallabies great Stephen Larkham.
But his rise has been halted by injury problems, including osteitis pubis, and he has been patiently waiting for a chance to prove himself in Super Rugby.
Jooste was a contender for the Brumbies' No. 10 jersey at the start of the year but injuries have prevented him from competing with Wharenui Hawera.
"I've been itching for my debut for a while now but my body hasn't been holding up for me to get it just yet," Jooste said.
"Hopefully it comes this year but we'll see what happens. It's pretty common that young guys struggle a bit with that first step and that was my case. Hopefully I'm passed that now and I'm ready to go."
Perth junior Jooste also said he was gutted the Western Force were in danger of being cut from Super Rugby after growing up idolising the Western Australia franchise.
"I was pretty gutted that there was a team on the chopping block, regardless if it was the Force or the Rebels," Jooste said.
"But the Force is the team I grew up supporting and I've still got a lot of mates there, so I'm gutted that they're on the chopping block."
UNDER-20s OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday: Australia v Samoa at Bond University, Gold Coast, 7pm.
Australian team: 1. Harry Johnson-Holmes (NSW), Efi Maafu (Queensland), Harry Chapman (NSW), Harry Hockings (Queensland), Ryan McCauley (NSW), Angus Scott-Young (Queensland), Liam Wright (Queensland), Reece Hewat (Queensland), Ryan Lonergan (ACT), Nick Jooste (ACT), James Ramm (NSW), Tony Hunt (Queensland), Len Ikatau (ACT), Dylan Riley (Queensland), Jayden Ngamanu (Queensland). Reserves: Tom Horton (NSW), Sama Malolo (Western Force), Vaauli Faaumusili (Melbourne Rebels), Lachlan Swinton (NSW), Darcy Swain (ACT), Theo Strang (NSW), Jack McGregor (Melbourne Rebels), Clay Uyen (Western Force).
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 10
Sunday: ACT Brumbies v Auckland Blues at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.
