Luke Burgess revealed some distant Irish family history after being named to make his Test rugby debut for Australia against the country of his ancestry on Saturday night.

The new Wallabies scrumhalf said his great, great, great, great grandfather John Moran was an Irish convict sent to Australia in the 19th century for stealing guns from the English.

"He actually worked for a guy named John Eales," Burgess told journalists in Melbourne after joining Queensland winger Peter Hynes, NSW teammate Dean Mumm and Western Force centre Ryan Cross as newcomers in the Test team.

While Burgess's Irish relatives may once have been armed and dangerous, the explosive young halfback now looms as one of Australia's key weapons in the Lansdowne Cup clash at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.

"Luke is a bloke who's got speed. He's a genuine threat," said coach Robbie Deans.

"When you've got playmakers outside him and threats outside him, to be able to threaten that channel on the inside will enhance that.

"He's a player who's got a lot of courage. He's not afraid of any element of the game, which is good. It means he's unlikely to get traumatised.

"He'll just keep bringing it, keep playing, which is a good trait as well."

Burgess is set to be mentored by 1991 World Cup-winning Wallabies captain and halfback Nick Farr-Jones.

Deans sounded out Farr-Jones about taking Burgess under his wing and 24-year-old Burgess is chuffed about it.

"Watching him (Farr-Jones) running around and bringing home that Webb Ellis Cup was fantastic and that's certainly something in my mind that I'd like to help contribute to," Burgess said.

"But, one thing at a time, the Irish are a formidable challenge this week."

Burgess will make his Wallabies debut just two months after belatedly establishing himself as a Super 14 starting player - and a fortnight after playing in this year's final for the Waratahs.

"It's been a quick couple of weeks, the last couple of weeks, and very exciting," he said.

"So I can't wait to get out there."

A year older than Burgess, Hynes - a former Australian schoolboys, under-19s, under-21s and sevens representative - received his Wallabies call-up after scoring five tries for the Reds this season, including one against the Deans-led Crusaders.

"My goal the last couple of years has just been to play for the Reds and, ultimately, I've always wanted to play for the Wallabies," he said.

"But each year you start the season with one goal and that is to play well for your province. And if you do that, then hopefully you get selection in higher honours.

"We're just looking forward to getting out there at the weekend and giving it to these Irish blokes."

The versatile Mumm, who is equally at home in the back or second row, and rugby league convert Cross, both said it was a dream come true to be picked for the Wallabies, even on the bench.

"I really just wanted to start for the Waratahs consistently this year and nail down a spot there," said Auckland-born Mumm, whose grandfather Bill Mumm represented the All Blacks.

"I had thoughts and goals of playing for Australia A and these sort of things, so it's been beyond my wildest expectations to be here at this time of the year."

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