Waratahs lock Jed Holloway is embracing the 'contagious' energy from the young squad as they look ahead to Saturday's clash with the Brumbies at GIO Stadium.
Holloway joined the squad at 'rock bottom' following a winless season in 2021, eager to start the rebuild.
However, the 29-year-old was amazed by their ability to bounce back in Super Rugby Pacific, nearly knocking off the Queensland Reds in a thriller last Friday following an opening-round win over the Fijian Drua.
“I really enjoy just playing with these lads,” he told reporters. "They’re young but they had to grow up quickly last year.
“Me coming into the environment this year, the resilience they showed to immediately brush that off and be so forward-thinking and focused onto this year was unreal.
“That stuff is contagious for me coming in because I wanted to be a part of it at the start and when I get out there, I really enjoy just playing with them. Their energy is unreal and it makes me want to be energised as well.
“…It’s just been a really nice feeling to come out and play. It’s not just DC (Darren Coleman), it’s the whole coaching staff, the direction the club is heading in with the new facilities.
“There’s a lot of excitement after last year because that was rock bottom and now with the fresh start, there’s a huge amount of excitement building and everyone’s buying in which is the best thing.”
The catalysts for their rise has been the dominance of their forward pack, particularly the tight-five, with Holloway cementing his spot in the second-row alongside the impressive Geoff Cridge.
“They call it the dark arts for a reason. I don’t what they do but they spend a lot of time working on their craft,” he said with a smile.
“They’re doing a phenomenal job, they’re relieving pressure for our team from all parts of the field whether we’re exiting our 22 or attacking our line.
“It’s a real confidence boost at the moment when we do get a scrum to assert that dominance and that’s what the three up front do. They’re really dominating at the moment and props to them but it’s only round two and we need to stick with it, build and keep using it as a weapon throughout the season.”
Holloway has struggled with injuries throughout his career, often occurring as he was on the verge of Wallaby honours.
With his focus solely on the second-row after moving across the back-row, the 29-year-old is looking to build some consistent game-time as he redefines his preparation.
“I’m really embracing the challenge at lock,” he said. “I’ve bounced around but it’s good to lock in and cement something and focus on the one position.
“I just have to keep on working and grinding, hopefully keep improving on my performances and then we can team wins down the track.
“In the past, I’ve always had little niggly hamstring injuries than have taken the wind out of my sails whenever I build some momentum.
“I’m trying to stay on top of my body prep…I think in the past I used to worry so much about the week and forget to turn up Saturday sometimes. I’m making sure that’s my focus and I structure my week correctly so I can get the best out of myself on Saturday.”
After taking the Reds to the limit, Holloway admits the side was 'disappointed' by their inability to close it out, knowing victory 'got away' from the Waratahs.
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As they prepare for another 'benchmark' test against the Brumbies, the former Wallaby is keen to guide the side to the next step, no longer satisfied with just being competitive.
“It’s always been a big week building up traditionally (to the Brumbies games), it’s always a huge one,” he added.
“I think they feel it a lot more than us. For us, it’s about building from last week’s performance and the performances we’ve had the last few games without being too amped up.
“They and the Reds are the benchmark of the Super Rugby Pacific in Australia. It’s about us focusing on ourselves and trying to put the best performance out there in the weekend.
“...We were disappointed but the boys have really ripped in this week to build on that performance. We have full belief in our full squad here. We just need to keep on working and grinding because we know we have it in us and just need to put a complete performance together."
