Adam Ashley-Cooper is confident he can push for a berth at a fourth Rugby World Cup despite being suspended from the Wallabies' last Test for breaching team rules.
The 117-Test veteran took the next step toward that goal on Tuesday, confirming a one-year deal to return to the NSW Waratahs for the looming Super Rugby season.
Recalled to the Wallabies squad for their Europe tour late last year, Ashley-Cooper blotted his copybook when he was stood down along with Kurtley Beale from the 37-18 loss to England for inviting three women back to their room after the 9-6 defeat to Wales two weeks earlier.
Coach Michael Cheika imposed the sanction after being alerted to the breach of team protocol by the leadership group which included skipper Michael Hooper.
Despite the women reportedly being Ashley-Cooper's sister-in-law and friends, Cheika said the players had made "an error of judgement".
However, Ashley-Cooper was confident that incident would have no lingering negative effect.
"The conversations have always remained positive with Cheika..." Ashley-Cooper, who will now play alongside Beale - and under Hooper - at the Waratahs, said.
"I didn't think I would ever go back on tour, so to get another Wallabies game in (against Italy) I was extremely stoked with that.
"That's done now, so I've got to move on and focus on Super Rugby and performing really well."
Ashley-Cooper would become only the second Wallabies player - after George Gregan - to go to four World Cups, if selected for this year's tournament in Japan.
But the utility outside back, who was not included in Australia's January camp after returning from his commitments with Japanese side Kobe Steelers, insists he must deliver for the Waratahs before he can think about a World Cup spot.
"If I don't perform well in Super Rugby I won't go to the World Cup; that's what it boils down to," he said.
"For me, there's a couple of carrots this year. There's another opportunity to win a title with the Waratahs, something I've got great memories of in 2014.
"But also to get to another Rugby World Cup and win the thing. I've had three cracks before and pulled up a little short."
At 34, Ashley-Cooper is one of the elder members of the Wallabies and Waratahs camps but he maintains he is not thinking about life after rugby.
"I struggle to think about what I'm doing next week, so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," he said.
"I love contributing to the game and sharing my experiences and being a leader in that senior player group.
"I've got to be performing to the best of the ability I can be, if I can do that then it will have a positive effect on the group."
The Waratahs face the Highlanders in their first trial game in Otago on Friday evening.
