Forget the grand slam, let’s start with the dream double.
That’s the opinion of Wallabies star Michael Hooper, who will be part of a 32-man squad bound for London on Friday to embark on a unique five-Test tour of Europe.
It is the third time the Wallabies will meet England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland on the same tour since an Alan Jones-coached side scooped a quartet of wins in 1984.
While both touring parties failed to complete the slam, teammate Bernard Foley earlier this week bravely predicted the new-look side could repeat the 28-year-old heroics of their predecessors.
But Hooper, who was crowned John Eales medallist for the second time in his career on Thursday night, set his sights a little lower.
“Just winning back-to-back would be nice. The feeling of getting a roll on and everyone doing their job is so satisfying,” he said.
“The grand slam will be a product of that. What will be so satisfying is people who’ve put in a lot of hard work, people who’ve been given a hard time, get that reward and result they deserve.”
The Wallabies will set up base in London before moving onto to Cardiff, where they kickoff a gruelling five-week challenge beginning against Wales on November 5.
That will be followed by games against Scotland, France and Ireland before finishing the tour with a highly-anticipated Test against England at Twickenham on December 3.
“That would be pretty special, rolling into Twickenham with everything to play for,” Hooper said.
“To get a win on the board against the Welsh would be nice and keep that roll going, because they’re always a hard team to play.
“But back-to-back wins are sweet. You sing that song in the changeroom a couple of weeks in a row and you start to build something special.
“The grand slam term’s thrown around a lot… you’ve got to win back-to-back games to do it.
“That’s the focus for us. One win, next win, and go from there. That’s what it has to be.”
Bobby Fizzicola
Guest
I guess it will be nice to not have to play New Zealand for a while. They are crushers of dreams...
taylorman
Roar Guru
From what I've seen finishing a year on a high sometimes isn't the best way to end the season, oddly. Last year Oz finished on a high, relatively speaking. Where England finished on a very low low, even for them. Look at the reversal of fortune. England dug deep, and found a way. They got license to do the radical stuff...hire Eddie Jones for one. Oz on the other hand largely sat on their laurels, and thought they had enough without their NH staff to do the job. Had Oz lost to Scotland and England qualified through to the semis or better we would have had a very firing Super Rugby tournament from the Oz sides and Cheika, if still there, would have left no stone unturned to strengthen his side, scouring both the north and Southern Hemispheres, ensuring they were putting the best rugby out. And they would have faced a Lancaster based English side that wouldn't have been anywhere near the strength of Eddies. I'd be very interested in knowing what Cheika did between December and June. I'm betting it will be very different to what he'll be doing that period this time. Resolve can do that in rugby. Unfortunately it's necessary to be fully exposed to be able to progress. In the modern game, losing is one of the very best weapons required to become a better side. NZ is STILL learning from the 2007 loss, probably the most important match of the pro era for the ABs.
coldturkey
Roar Rookie
it could still be. They don't have to do the Grand Slam, as long as they beat England at the end they'll finish the year on a high note. Cheika, the Australian media and the Wallaby cheerleaders will spin it so the Wallabies are world-beaters on the rise and that during the first part of the year was just a blip. After all they are World Cup finalists who won the Rugby Championship in 2015 while one of their coaches has won a club rugby tournament in the northern hemisphere as well as a Super title in the Southern hemisphere. While another coach has won a super rugby title as well as a world cup (albeit not as a coach.)
Goldie
Guest
But this was supposed to be the year of the wallabies?
Vic rugby
Guest
The boys are 1 win away from a wallaby win streak. 1 win in a row
Tui luamanu
Guest
It will be great if the Wallabies was sponsor by Nike Just Do It