Karmichael Hunt is excited to return to Queensland Reds' starting line-up for the first time since serving his six-week ban for using cocaine, running on at fullback against the Bulls on Saturday after featuring among the replacements against Melbourne Rebels last week.

"I'm pretty excited to be back on the starting team and obviously in Africa for the first time," Hunt said after training in Pretoria on Thursday. "We'd like to get a good result on the weekend, the boys have been training really well and obviously we've lost some troops - which has been really disappointing - but the attitude this week at training has been fantastic and everyone's just really looking forward to the battle."

Hunt has started in just one match this season - the Reds' 47-3 hammering by the Brumbies in Canberra - and he is expecting to face a far different game than that in Australia's capital.

"I'm obviously aiming to play some good footy, but obviously lead vocally as well - which I do naturally and I enjoy doing - but I'll be helping marshal the troops around with Willy and the boys and Slip and that, so hopefully I can play a good game of footy.

"I've only played one game, but it was a different game down in Canberra as what it's probably going to be like this Saturday at Loftus. We're preparing for a lot of high balls and obviously working and practising our tactics - catching and obviously what we want to do with the footy. We're looking forward to the contest."

The code hopper is enjoying his first rugby tour of South Africa despite having been confined to the training paddock and hotel room.

"I've enjoyed it - I've really enjoyed it. We're confined to the hotel and shopping malls and the like, so it's not what I was thinking it would be, but obviously if we get to go out and see a bit of the country it might change my perception."