Chiefs coach Warren Gatland has called for a more positive outlook on Australian rugby after his side's big win over the Waratahs.
The Brumbies have been the standout Australian team this year, snapping a six-year losing streak by beating the Chiefs a fortnight ago, while Rebels also took a win in Dunedin last week.
Queensland went agonisingly close to beating the Crusaders earlier on Friday before the Chiefs thumped the Waratahs on Friday night.
Inconsistency is a familiar trend for Australian Super Rugby, probably the Waratahs as much as any, and after Friday night's match it appears like 2020 will be another year of pain.
Gatland was quick to praise NSW’s young 10 Will Harrison, urging the Waratahs to exercise patience with his development despite what is shaping as a poor Super Rugby campaign.
“I thought he ran well and he's definitely a player for the future and a player that hopefully they stick with, give him some time as well,” he said.
“The thing about that with young players is you have to go through a bit of pain with them because you know they're going to hurt you, sometimes they're going to make mistakes and things. There was a comment we made in the box about his running game, went to the line and kicked pretty well. I thought it was a good performance.”
Speaking more broadly, Gatland said there was a need to look at the strengths in Australian rugby despite some results.
"There was a bit of doom gloom in things New Zealand media were saying about the position of Australian rugby," he said.
“The last couple of weeks - the Reds were very unlucky tonight against the Crusaders, scored four tries and not kick any conversions and miss two penalties, outscore the Crusaders, they're probably thinking if they had a decent kicker they might've won that game or should've won the game and they've missed out on the chance just before half-time when they've lost the ball going across the line as well.
“The Rebels had a good win against the Highlanders. I don't think it's in as bad a state.
“It'll be interesting when Dave Rennie comes on and what he brings, perhaps a focus and a realism to the Wallabies.
“There's definitely some big men out there, that wasn't the smallest Super Rugby side out there.
"It's a young team that Waratahs team, some big men are only going to get better as the season goes on.”
Chiefs captain Sam Cane played under Dave Rennie when he was first coming through Super Rugby and said he expected big things from the new Wallabies coach.
“Australia have done very well to grab Dave Rennie I think, he's an exceptional coach and an exceptional man,” he said.
“I'll be watching with interest as to what he can do with the Wallabies, I'm pretty sure he'll do a fantastic job.
“He's done a great job with every team he's worked with in the past so I can't see why this would be any different.”
