Injured Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper says he'll aim to return to the paddock for the back end of the Rugby Championship.
The incumbent Queensland Reds and Test No.10 will need surgery on his left shoulder to repair a grade three AC injury suffered against the Rebels on Saturday night.
Cooper will be out of action for up to 16 weeks, ending his Super Rugby season and ruling him out of the June internationals against France.
But if his recovery goes according to a best case scenario, Cooper will put his hand up for the Wallabies' fourth Rugby Championship match against Argentina on the Gold Coast on September 13.
That means he'd be available for the final three games in the Rugby Championship, as well as the Bledisloe Cup decider against New Zealand on October 18.
"(The Rugby Championship) is something I've got to keep in mind," Cooper told Fox Sports.
"But at the same time ... it's a process I've got to take week by week, and how I heal is still yet to be seen.
"I'll be doing all the right things to put myself in a good position to get back into playing rugby as soon as possible."
Cooper will use the downtime to also have surgery completed on his hip to "get it cleaned up".
"Getting a bit of an oil change," he said.
"It wasn't necessary, it's something that we were looking for a window to do.
"But now that we've got through the shoulder, it's best to get them both out of the way."
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