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All for one and one for all. That was the unmistakable message from Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and captain Rocky Elsom as they dutifully unloaded the entire squad’s luggage upon arrival in Dublin on Sunday.
As the rest of the 35-man touring squad – plus about a dozen support staff – toddled off to the comforts of their hotel rooms, Deans and Elsom manfully lugged bags off the back of the team truck.
The self-appointed “duty boys” were happy to put in for the good of the team, knowing it’s the united front the Wallabies will need in order to keep the grand slam dream alive with victory over rampant Ireland at Croke Park next weekend.
The Wallabies arrived from London with renewed hope and belief after surging to a spirited 18-9 comeback win over England on Saturday.
Twickenham heroes Quade Cooper and Will Genia have urged Deans to keep the faith and retain the same adventurous backline for the blockbuster showdown with the reigning Six Nations champions.
Genia’s place at halfback is assured following his electrifying man-of-the-match display against England, while Cooper is also likely to back up for his third game in 13 days after adding a new dimension to the Wallabies’s midfield attack.
Virtually by accident, following injuries to Stirling Mortlock and Berrick Barnes, Deans seems to have discovered his best available backline and now Cooper just hopes he sticks with it.
Cooper says it’s a dream to play alongside stars like Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper and having good mate James O’Connor on the bench.
“It’s a very exciting time,” he said.
Genia offered Deans another reason not to tinker.
“Defensively, we were outstanding,” he said.
“Quade and Digby (in the centres) – Digby read it superbly. England’s massive winger (Matt Banahan), he was eaten alive.
“If you look at the game, we performed well so you’d want to think that we’d try to be consistent in how we prepare and go into the next game.”
But never content to rest on his side’s laurels, Deans hasn’t ruled out changes, knowing Ireland’s world-class centres Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy are a notch above anything England could throw at Australia.
“It’s going to be a good workout and, to be fair, we probably were anticipating in the back of our minds that Stirling would be fit and ready to go straight into that Test match,” Deans said.
“But Quade’s stepped up and done really well. But, as is often the case, it’s week two that is the key.
“He’s really come of age, to be honest, and it started off the field before it started on the field.
“He’s maturing and it shows. He’s worked hard in all aspects of his life and that tends to manifest itself in time and you have a sense of having not only earned the right but also of being worthy of it.”
Deans is hoping the England triumph is not another false dawn for his developing Wallabies.
“The coming together as group is the critical thing,” he said. “We haven’t had a lot of continuity, to be fair, for many reasons.
“But we do have a group here that’s emerging, we believe, and should take some belief out of this.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.