The Wallabies are eager to use next year's Ireland fixture as the perfect launchpad for a deep World Cup run after the confirmation of Test Rugby's return to Canberra.
The Australians will play their final match before the home World Cup in the nation's captial on September 18, less than two weeks before they open the event at Hong Kong China in Perth.
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It'll be the first time they've played in Canberra since 2017 (a 45-20 win over Argentina), after a proposed fixture with Los Pumas in 2021 was moved due to COVID, and on a ground the Australians have never lost on in their five matches there.
Injured Wallabies fullback Tom Wright believes victory in the fixture will provide significant momentum ahead of one of the biggest events in Australian Rugby history, with Ireland a kick away from this year's Six Nations title.
"You always want to play against the best and for a number of years now, for a long time really, they've always been in that top echelon of sides," Wright told reporters in Canberra.
"With Joe [Schmidt, Wallabies coach] coming from there into our system, you're seeing the fruits that we've been able to take from him and even just seeing some of the way that they play, you can see the system that he instilled there.
"If we're able to leapfrog off that game here at GIO [Stadium], that'll be super exciting for the squad that goes into the World Cup."
Ireland has never played in the ACT, but it's a familiar ground for a host of their stars, most notably Mack Hansen.
Hansen made his name with the Brumbies before his move to Ireland took his career to the next level, returning to the ground during the British & Irish Lions tour.
"It'll be good to see Mac back. He's had a pretty arsy run of injuries in the last sort of 12 months or so," Wright believes.
"We obviously saw him come out for the Lions, but hobbling around on one foot, the poor bugger, so if we get to lace up against him, I know a lot of the guys, in particular, from the Brums training room, enjoy that challenge.
"There's plenty of [chat] from him so if we get the chance, we might try and shut that from him."
Wright is still on the rehab journey after his ACL injury but prop Allan Alaalatoa is nearing a return from a back injury.
The Brumbies are currently on a bye, next facing the Highlanders in Dunedin, with Alaalatoa and Wright still actively involved in running the water during games.
"Slow and steady and just making sure that I'm ticking all the right boxes so I can hopefully be on the field soon," he added.
"It's still hard to say [an exact return date]. I've been putting a couple of weeks of full training together, which is great, so I've just got to make sure that I'm pulling up okay from those and then be able to talk about games coming forward."
