Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper believes there's a fresh narrative emerging across Australian Rugby and Super Rugby Pacific, excited about the growing competition as they prepare for England.
After a poor Trans-Tasman campaign, the Australian sides have bounced back as the likes of the Brumbies and Waratahs have pulled off major victories in the past few weeks.
This was something noted by Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who believes the stats back up the revival and the notion the gap is closing between the Australian and New Zealand sides.
Speaking at the launch of their jerseys for 2022, Hooper backed Rennie's assessment, pointing to a growing consistency and hunger to flip the perception.
“It’s been great to see individuals play really well and teams playing well and showing their identity on the field," he believes.
“The Brumbies have been the standout with what they have been doing. They are leading the way at the moment, and we’re growing from strength to strength, we’ve got some great challenges ahead with a couple of tough opponents. We’re in a really neat place at the moment.
“There’s certainly a hunger about what the teams are wanting to do and the desperation in terms of how they are playing. That has been noticeable.
“…To get some consistent performances is really nice and that’s a really nice narrative to be a part of. There’s a hunger to change that story, be a part of a new feel and that’s a real big motivating factor for players and that’s been noticeable.”
It comes at a perfect time with a crucial three-match series with England on the horizon, with the first Test in Perth under two months away.
The Wallabies have not defeated Eddie Jones' men since the 2015 World Cup, including a 32-15 defeat last November.
This has Dave Rennie and the coaching staff 'raring to go' according to Hooper, knowing a series victory will be the perfect build towards the 2023 World Cup.
“It’s a great series,” Hooper said.
“It doesn’t feel like that long ago that we were playing in 2016 when they came out here last but a lot has happened since then. It’s a great series to have, 18 months out from a World Cup.
“The staff are putting in a heap of time ever since the end of the year, they’ve known this is on the cards, so they have put in hours and hours of work. We’ve got a really good plan. We saw that a bit when we went into camp and that’s progressing and they’re getting a really good look at us individuals as players playing across Super Rugby.
They’re just raring to go. Speaking to Dave (Rennie), they go six months without coaching anyone, so when we come in after a season they are dead keen. It’s going to be good.”
