Luke Burgess says he'll never feel completely comfortable in the Wallabies No.9 jersey as he prepares to face off against boyhood heroes Justin Marshall and Chris Whitaker.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, according to the thoughtful 25-year-old.

Probably Australia's most scrutinised rugby player - not least by himself - Burgess says the admission doesn't mean he's down on confidence.

"I don't think I'll ever feel completely at home and I don't think that's the nature of the position," he told AAP on Monday.

"I think it's important that there's always challenge and there's always contribution.

"So being comfortable in that position is something that should be there I guess initially because ... you've earned the right to wear that jumper.

"But the challenges that you face at international level are different and exciting and rewarding at the same time so comfort's not something that you kind of focus on."

Sometimes prone to taking criticism of his passing game to heart, Burgess said that wasn't the case in year two of his international career.

"I am more confident," he said.

"I think that confidence can be wasted though if I don't focus and continue to work hard.

"So it is part of the experience that I've had but I certainly can't rest on my past."

He said World Cup-winning captain and mentor Nick Farr-Jones had helped bolster his self-belief.

"He's helped me a lot with decision-making and being comfortable and he's certainly very experienced and you just listen to whatever he says," Burgess said.

"He's got some really good technical points and he doesn't need to say much - he's won a World Cup and he's led a brilliant team for a number of years so his presence is enough to inspire people, so that's what I've drawn on and having his support is fantastic."

Burgess, who is almost certain to be named in the first Wallabies team of the season on Tuesday, will face a stern season-opening test on Saturday night against Barbarians pair Marshall and Whitaker.

Marshall played 81 Tests for New Zealand and Whitaker 31 for Australia.

"They're fantastic halfbacks, they've got magic service, they distribute beautifully, they just pose threats to the defence so it's a fantastic opportunity for us to do the same but also to challenge ourselves against those guys," Burgess said.

"I used to love watching both of them play."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP