Wallabies hopeful Henry Speight will make his long-awaited comeback from a hamstring injury in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup curtain-raiser at Suncorp Stadium.

Speight will play his first game since July when the University of Canberra Vikings face Brisbane City for a spot in the National Rugby Championship play-offs.

The classy Fiji-born winger was eligible for Wallabies selection early last month after being picked in coach Ewen McKenzie’s preliminary squad for the Rugby Championship, only to break down.

His comeback ahead of next month’s spring tour of Europe is a big positive in an otherwise turbulent week for McKenzie and the Wallabies ahead of their final home showdown of the year against the All Blacks in Brisbane.

Once again overlooked for Test selection this week, halfback Will Genia will come off the bench for Brisbane City in the curtain-raiser, while fellow Wallabies squad members James Hanson and Jake Schatz will start for the hosts.