Melbourne Rebels halfback Luke Burgess sent a message to Wallabies selectors of his representative ambitions with a starring role in the Rebels' 35-14 Super Rugby win over the Cheetahs.
Burgess was a constant threat to the South Africans with his sniping runs from the back of the ruck and scored a try just before halftime to give his team a 17-0 lead.
With the unheralded line-up delivering an impressive performance right across the park, Burgess was awarded man of the match.
His strong combination with exciting 21-year-old five-eighth Bryce Hegarty was also a relief for Melbourne fans following the departure of former halves Nick Phipps and Kurtley Beale to NSW.
Burgess, 30, is playing his first full Super season since he left the Waratahs at the end of 2011 to play with Toulouse in France.
He earned 37 Test caps before then and is intent on adding to that tally.
But first his main concern is helping the Rebels build on their most promising start.
"Everyone's been working really hard and you've got to run with the momentum that we've developed," Burgess said.
"I'm never really happy with my own game but I think the team played well and you've got to give it to the forwards because they were great at the breakdown and that makes a massive difference to the speed of the game."
The scoreline was the biggest win of the Rebels short history and impressed incoming coach Tony McGahan ahead of their trip to Perth to meet the Force next round.
But he said their biggest test lay ahead.
"We need to get some consistency and string together back-to-back results like the other sides are," McGahan said.
"We've got to continue the hard work; we've dipped our toe in the water but we're going to face different strengths every week and we're going to have to be able to adapt."
Meanwhile, the Rebels announced they have signed New Zealand-born Japanese international Male Sau.
The 26-year-old, who has 13 Test caps, can play either 10 or in the centres.