Nick Phipps' dramatic rise through the rugby ranks looks set to bring him a debut Wallabies call up in next month's Test against Samoa.

Only 12 months ago the 22-year-old halfback was playing third grade rugby for Sydney University before signing with the Melbourne Rebels as a third-string Super Rugby option behind Sam Cordingly and Richard Kingi.

A combination of Phipps' outstanding form and the injury misfortune of his good friend Luke Burgess now has the Australian Super Rugby rookie of the year on the verge of Test rugby.

NSW Waratahs halfback Burgess, the regular Wallabies back-up to Will Genia, has been ruled out for six to eight weeks with a broken hand and his loss has created a vacancy in the Australian squad for their first international of the World Cup year against Samoa on July 17.

With Genia involved in the Super Rugby finals with Queensland, coach Robbie Deans could decide to rest the No.9 for the Samoa Test if the Reds make it to the Super Rugby final on July 9, handing Phipps a starting Wallabies spot.

Phipps was part of an Australian training squad at Coogee on Tuesday comprising mostly forwards whose franchises had been knocked out of the Super Rugby competition.

The 22-year-old was one of only two backs, along with Adam Ashley-Cooper, who were put through their paces by Wallabies conditioner Peter Harding.

Phipps knows that if he does get a chance against Samoa it would help his push for a place in the World Cup squad later in the year.

"I haven't really thought about that so far ... me and Burgo get on really well both coming from Sydney Uni and I know how disappointed he'd be breaking his hand before the semi-finals," Phipps said.

"I know he'll be back at some point, so it's up to me now to put my best foot forward early. I've certainly got a great opportunity that I want to make the most of."

Meanwhile Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore was impressed with the crop of young forwards at the scrum camp alongside veterans like Dan Vickerman and Nathan Sharpe.

"We've had a lot of good young players coming through the ranks for a number of years now and you can see their development and there's certainly some really good depth in the front row now," Moore said.

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