NSW Waratahs coach Chris Hickey is confident Dan Vickerman's hopes of a Wallabies' Tri-Nations and World Cup return won't be harmed by lack of Super Rugby game time.

NSW don't expect for lock Vickerman back to make his first appearances for them until early June, which would give him just three Super matches plus any finals games to press his claims for Wallabies going into the big 2011 international season.

Vickerman quit NSW and international rugby in 2008 to study economics at Cambridge University.

But the 31-year-old veteran of 52 Tests from 2002-08 is returning after being sounded by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans last year and signing with Australian rugby again till the end of 2012.

Hickey believes Vickerman's experience and class can compensate for the lack of a full competitive Super rugby season and he can play at a third World Cup tournament.

"With the experience he brings to that position and going into a World Cup year I think he'd be a strong candidate," Hickey said.

"We're just going to have to wait and see there.

"I know he's working really hard over the next six months with his own personal training and he'll be playing some games over there in England.

"By the time he gets here in June he won't be starting from scratch, he should have a pretty good fitness base."

The Waratahs have given Vickerman a training program and he will remain in regular contact with the club's strength and conditioning coach Peter McDonald.

Vickerman will play matches for Cambridge before he jets back, and Hickey is convinced time away from the top level will be a benefit to the classy lock.

"Before he left to go and study, if you were picking a world 15 you'd probably pick him in one of the lock positions," he said.

"That sort of experience is really valuable to you and we're looking forward to seeing him back with us later in the season.

"That break will finish up prolonging his career. Having a break like that freshens you up physically and mentally and I think he'll come back very hungry to play some footy having not played for a while.

"We'd have three or four games left to play (when he returns) and at that stage of the season with injuries and everything else it would be a real boost for us to have someone like Dan come on board."

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