ACT Brumbies coach Andy Friend loves being back in Australia and getting the best out of the Women's team as they contend for a Super Rugby W title.
Friend returned from Irish club Connacht midway through 2024 as a consultant and officially joined the Brumbies as head coach in September.
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It's been over a decade since Friend departed as coach of the ACT side, with the former Sevens coach feeding off the energy of a hungry group.
"I've been so impressed with their desire to want to be challenged and to want to grow. They love the game of Rugby, which is really good," he told reporters.
"It reminds me of pre-Super when you just had players who work as well as go to university, but this is the pastime that they get to express themselves.
That's all been a little bit new, because I think sometimes in real professional, full-time professional programs, it can become a little bit stale but these girls certainly aren't that. They're a great group to work with.
Brumbies captain Siokapesi Palu was similarly impressed with what Friend added to the group.
The former Wallaroos captain believes his passion for the game is infectious and the perfect thing for the squad in a World Cup year.
"He has a genuine interest for women's sport, which means he's there with the right intentions and he has passion," Palu explained.
"He's been just drilling world-class fundamentals into our squad, really being a connection piece, but also very transparent and direct, which is something we need in that women's space."
The Brumbies return this year with the large majority of their squad from last year's semi-final campaign, with returning playmaker Ella Ryan adding class in her move to scrumhalf.
"I think we've done well in terms of building the last two years," Palu said.
"This year we've had a contingency of 21 returning players in our 32-woman squad, which means we've got that consistency and in saying that, we hope that we can build off what we have been developing the last two years."
