Michael Oakman-Hunt will go from toiling away in club rugby to a probable Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies within a week.
A whirlwind seven days for the 25-year-old university student will be capped off when he starts on the bench in Saturday night's clash with the Highlanders.
Oakman-Hunt has been called into the Brumbies squad following a serious elbow injury to fellow flanker Lachlan McCaffrey.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar is confident Oakman-Hunt will stand up the fierce pressure of the trans-Tasman clash in Dunedin.
"(Oakman-Hunt's) a good footballer who's suffered injury and has had to deal with adversity," McKellar said.
"He's juggling uni, juggling work and rugby so it's an opportunity for him to experience what a professional football life is like.
"He's a tough footballer, hardworking, honest and he won't let us down."
Oakman-Hunt could go on in the second half for the Brumbies' settled line-up, with only one forced change made to the starting team that smashed the Queensland Reds last Saturday.
Tom Cusack has replaced McCaffrey, who could be out for up to six weeks, in the No.6 jersey.
A straight swap for Cusack would be the most likely option.
Oakman-Hunt will have a high-profile player next to him on the bench, with co-captain Sam Carter starting off the ground for a second straight game as the star lock is eased back from a serious concussion.
The ACT team enters the match with their New Zealand rivals full of confidence after the result against the Reds in which they ran in seven unanswered tries.
Australian teams have lost 33 straight Super Rugby matches against their Kiwi opponents, dating to May 27, 2016, when the NSW Waratahs thumped the Chiefs.
Australian teams are becoming tired of the hoodoo talk and McKellar said this week they needed to earn respect back from teams in New Zealand.
The Brumbies take on the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday, kicking off at 7:35pm local, 5:35pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS.
