Injured Melbourne hooker Adam Freier hasn't given up on wearing the red, white and blue of the Rebels this Super Rugby season and will begin his latest comeback on Saturday.
The former Qantas Wallabies rake will play for the Melbourne Unicorns against Footscray, while his team-mates complete their two-match tour of South Africa.
The 31-year-old missed the start of the Rebels inaugural season as he recovered from back surgery and then managed four games - for the Unicorns and the Rebels' second side - before badly damaging his hamstring.
"I could have been right to go on tour but thought it would be better to stay at home and play a few club games," he said.
"I'm going to play this weekend and then maybe next Saturday for Randwick, while the Rebels have a bye, and then hopefully play the last three games of the Super season."
The 25-Test veteran said the run of injuries had been a "nightmare" as he looked to add to his tally of 88 Super appearances, earned with NSW before his move south.
"My back's great, and if I tore my hamstring it would be fine but because I tore my tendon it just takes ages to heal."
The injury is similar to that of Qantas Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom, who is set to play his first Super match of the season for the Brumbies this weekend.
Freier also fitted in a flying visit to the Solomon Islands last weekend with teammate Sam Cordingley, where they gave the national sevens squad some pointers.
"All my mates were saying, `What about you holidaying while your team's in South Africa', but I was running the sidelines as a touch judge and it was 40 degrees," he said.
The Rebels suffered a 47-10 mauling at the hands of the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend and next face the Cheetahs at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
