The “fire in the belly” to succeed that rookie Wallabies hooker Matt Faessler now feels outweighs the scars of last year’s World Cup demise.
The Queensland Reds hooker spoke on Thursday about the positive spin-offs of motivation and ambition that the tournament in France pumped into him and other like-minded Wallabies.
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“There were a lot of hard lessons but the results of last year definitely lit a fire in the belly of myself and other guys I’ve spoken to,” Faessler said as the Reds returned to their first training day of 2024 at Ballymore.
You take him at his word. Footballers move on swiftly to the next goal, the next tournament. The failed Eddie Jones experiment is now last year’s news.
There’s a new Super Rugby Pacific season looming and the first trial of 2024 is just a month away against the Western Force at Ballymore on February 3. Faessler is already discovering life under a new coach and practices with Les Kiss installed as Reds boss.
Much has been written and debated about whether the Wallabies’ early exit from the World Cup would scar young flyhalf Carter Gordon and young front-rowers like Faessler and Zane Nonggorr.
“I definitely go the other way. I don’t think it has disheartened anyone. It’s lit a fire and invigorated because we have seen what the standard is we have to live up to,” Faessler said.
“Just picking the brains of experienced guys who have played 50-plus Tests and the likes of Will Skelton and Richie Arnold, who’ve played in Europe, was hugely beneficial for me at the World Cup.
"If you want to get technical, just learning how important it is for the loosehead (prop) and hooker to work together against the massive lump tightheads of international rugby was a real learning point."
Unfortunately, the World Cup crash was like an eclipse of the sun. It took light from celebrating big achievements when they did come. Faessler’s heartwarming and rapid rise from obscurity was one.
Faessler was a little-known figure in club footy in Brisbane before then-Reds coach Brad Thorn backed him in 2021. Last year, his sharp lineout throwing, strong charges and industrious general play earned him a Wallabies call-up and five Test caps by the end of the year.
“A year ago, no way I was thinking I’d be in this position I was at the back end of 2023 (as a first-time Wallaby). It was a pretty interesting year,” Faessler said.
“For me, the focus right now is what we can build in Queensland. The focus on other things can come on the back of that.”
Kiss was glowing in his praise of Faessler, both for what he achieved in 2023 but also as an emblem for how he wants players to be inspired to succeed for Queensland as a route into the Wallabies.
“What he’s done in the last year has been spectacular but he’s earned that. It’s probably unfair to call him a late bloomer but he’s come through later with his own form of experience from the club system,” Kiss said.
Like all coaches, Kiss talked up hooker as a super-competitive position at the Reds with Josh Nasser, on the way back from a torn bicep, Richie Asiata and Junior Wallaby Max Craig in a queue.
It may look so on paper but Faessler’s consistency and match-hardened form separates him from the other hookers for now.
Kiss will be without Junior Wallabies prop Massimo De Lutiis (hamstring) for the two Super Rugby trials but has pretty much a full squad to choose from.
How much exposure for young backrowers John Bryant and Joe Brial in the trials will be an interesting question but plenty of time is guaranteed for handy Irish lock Cormac Daly.
Kiss is already sizing up the juicy season opener against the NSW Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium on February 24.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve been thinking of that first game. I did coach at the NSW Waratahs (as an assistant) but it would be nice to get one over them,” the Bundaberg-born Kiss said with a smile.
“We did some good work before Christmas and had the Wallabies guys back so we'll have enough time to find our best combinations for the first big game at Suncorp Stadium.”
