Brumbies upbeat about upcoming season
If the Brumbies prove to be as enthusiastic about playing as they are about training, they're in for a bumper Super rugby season.
Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore became the latest player to make an early appearance when he turned up at their Canberra training session on Friday, even though he's not due back until Monday.
Boom prop Ben Alexander, who consolidated his starting spot in the Wallabies scrum, also wasn't due back until next Monday but lobbed up one week early.
With Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom and Matt Giteau - who was this week the sole Wallaby named in Rugby World magazine's team of the decade - among the new recruits, Moore said there was a buzz in the air.
"There's a good buzz around the whole group and around the community in Canberra," he said.
"It's a credit to the organisation the squad they've assembled for this season and it's up to us now to make it all happen."
Moore stayed behind in the UK after the Wallabies' European tour and was on the bench for the Barbarians match against New Zealand at Twickenham.
"The tour was great and I enjoyed it a lot," Moore said.
"The body feels really good, I had a month off and the niggles have subsided and I'm feeling really fresh and looking forward to what's ahead."
The Brumbies-laden Australian scrum won praise for its performance on the tour and Moore predicted even further improvement from his teammates.
"We took a lot of steps forward last year and the boys can take a lot of confidence out of that and we can continue to get better this year, that's certainly the goal.
"If we can be one of the best set piece teams in the comp than I think that's within out capabilities."
Former Canberra boy Giteau, Elsom - who missed last year's Super competition to play with Irish club Leinster - and fellow Test stalwarts Adam Ashley-Cooper and George Smith are due back at training on January 18.
The squad will play two pre-season matches against the Hurricanes in Wellington on January 29 and the NSW Waratahs at Canberra's Viking Park on February 4 before the season proper kicks off in Perth against the Force on February 12.
Moore, who is in his second year with the Brumbies after switching from Queensland, said it was important the side hit the ground running to improve on last year's seventh-placed finish.
"It's a great squad but we'll still start the season on zero points like every other team so it's going to be hard work if we're going to do well in the competition."
The Brumbies will head to Jervis Bays HMAS Creswell naval base next Wednesday for a three-day training camp.
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