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Brumbies skipper believe the gap has closed with Kiwi sides
By AAP
A new Wallabies coach and looming World Cup selection has added another level of intrigue to this year’s Super Rugby Pacific, when Australian teams will bid to end an eight-year title drought.
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While the bustling Brumbies came within a point of reaching the decider last year, edged by the Blues in the semi-finals 20-19, no Australian team has lifted the trophy since the NSW Waratahs in 2014.
A Kiwi team, predominantly the Crusaders who have won the last four straight, has won every year since the NSW breakthrough.
Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa felt Australian teams had closed the gap on their trans-Tasman rivals, with the next step a title.
Leading the local charge the Canberra outfit had four wins over New Zealand sides last season against three losses, while the Waratahs were next best with a 2-4 record.
He says his team are now set up to stay in the fight until the fulltime whistle.
“Our greatest learning from the year before was we were in it for 60 minutes, but the depth of their squads came on and pushed them over the line,” Alaalatoa said.
“A lot of our younger boys in 2021 learned the impact our bench can bring and an understanding that they’ve got a job to do to put us in a position to win.
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“Last year our finishers were really good in this space … that’s something we’ve worked really well on in the past and something we’ll rely on heavily this year as well.”
It’s a lesson for the Queensland Reds, whose hopes of going deep in the finals last year were hamstrung by their woeful 0-6 record against Kiwi teams.
Coach Brad Thorn recognised their weakness.
“We were a finals footy team last year but didn’t go as far as we wanted to,” he said.
“We led teams at halftime and there was one point in it with 25 minutes to go against the Crusaders (in the losing quarter-final).
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“We’ve got to take it up to another level at the business end of games … that’s the challenge.”
After a winless 2021 the Waratahs surged into the quarter-finals last season under new coach Darren Coleman and are confident they can continue to progress.
Michael Hooper, who captained the Tahs to the 2014 title, is making no secret of the side’s desire to break their near decade-long title drought.
“Every team wants to win the title. It’s no different for us,” Hooper said ahead of Friday night’s season opener against the Brumbies at Allianz Stadium.
“We’re confident, we’re ambitious as a team.”
Melbourne and the Western Force both missed the eight-team play-offs with the Perth team parachuting Simon Cron in as the new coach while they recruited heavily, luring the likes of Hamish Stewart, Bayley Kuenzle, and Reesjan Pasitoa.
New Force captain Michael Wells didn’t see the inexperienced nature of the squad as a barrier to winning the title.
“Age sometimes becomes a bit of an excuse,” he said.
“We expect those guys to learn quickly and perform, because they do make up the bulk of the group.
“They don’t have any scars of the past, they’ve got enthusiasm.”
While Australian teams are desperate to end that dominance, there are other prizes at stake.
Incoming Australia coach Eddie Jones has underlined how Super form will sway his selections for the September tournament in France, with all positions up for grabs.
Particular focus will be on five-eighths and fullbacks in Australia’s five Super sides, with both Test slots wide open after a merry-go-round of players used by previous Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
Veteran Melbourne Rebels utility back Reece Hodge, who has also played 62 Tests, said the change in coach presented an exciting opportunity for all players.
“Obviously it’s great, that guys who potentially might have thought they were out of the selection equation, based on the last three years, have now got a shot to impress Eddie,” Hodge told AAP.
“There’s going to be a massive emphasis on guys performing, particularly in the early rounds of Super Rugby so it’s exciting and hopefully that breeds great competition not only within the Aussie side but also with the other teams.”
