Openside Tom McVerry has only been in Canberra for two weeks and he's already in contention to make his debut for the Brumbies against the Reds, the Super Rugby franchise he made 55 appearances for, at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
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McVerry's recruitment was a case of synchronicity - the 33-year-old was returning from Japan as his wife Louise recovers from a brain tumour, while the Brumbies were light on for No.7s following the season-ending knee injury to David Pocock.
He spent seven seasons with the Reds, including two with their academy, before shifting to Kyuden Voltex in Japan for the past six years.
The Brumbies caught wind through former coach Eddie Jones, the Japan national team coach, that McVerry wanted to return.
He'll be joined in Canberra by Louise and his two young girls, two-year-old Milla and Lucy, 1, in the week after the Reds game.
"She's OK, she just finished some chemo and radiation. She's had a brain tumour, which she got over there, [but] she's on the mend," McVerry said.
"It was a bit of a setback last year, it sort of straightened us out a little, but it's all positive and we're moving forward. She's been amazingly strong.
"At this stage, it's entirely just for this season and a lot will depend on how things go with the family."
McVerry not only provides cover at breakaway, but will boost the experience of the Brumbies' forward pack that has been racked by injury, after Scott Sio, Sam Carter, Leon Power, Pocock and Fotu Auelua were sidelined.
He sees himself simply as cover and was unsure if he was in contention for selection as he recovers from an ankle injury.
But Brumbies director of rugby, Laurie Fisher, said McVerry was "definitely in contention for the Reds game".
"We're obviously starting Jarrad Butler, who's not a specialist openside, and we're playing around with whether we need a specialist openside on the bench or whether we can cover it with what we've got, so he's definitely in the mix for selection this weekend," Fisher said.
"You just know that a bloke who's played 10 seasons of professional rugby can go out there and do a job, whatever's asked of him."
McVerry came through the schoolboy ranks in Queensland before making the Reds' academy.
He represented Australia in the sevens at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Following his stint with the Reds, McVerry played in Italy for a season on his way to Japan.
If he makes the trip to Brisbane for Friday's game it will be something of a reunion for the experienced back-rower.
While with the Reds, he played with Brumbies captain Ben Mowen, assistant coach Dan McKellar and Stephen Moore, as well as current Reds James Horwill, Quade Cooper and Greg Holmes.
McVerry also played with Brumbies hooker Josh Mann-Rea in Japan.
If needed, he can also help translate for Japanese recruit Harumichi Tatekawa.
"It's been good to practice the Japanese with him," McVerry said.
"I've been doing a bit of translating for him.
"I wouldn't say fluent, but I've got enough [Japanese] to keep me out of trouble and order a few plates of sushi.
"He's actually a really good footballer, so I'm looking forward to watching him go round in the Canberra comp and hopefully he gets an opportunity one day."
