Talk to any of the current Waratahs players and they’ll be keen to point out the fact that they are very much a squad, a tight knit group all pulling in the same direction and with the same goals.

“I’m absolutely loving it – it’s fantastic!” beams NSW Country Eagles loose forward Ben Matwijow, when asked if he is enjoying his time in the inaugural NRC. A glowing appraisal indeed but perhaps an unsurprising validation given his experiences of the competition thus far.