If Jamie Roberts had any trepidation about joining a club that went winless last year, it has been extinguished after his first week of training at Daceyville.
The 97 Test Welsh legend is an oddity at the fresh faced Waratahs, with his wealth of experience and rugby IP only matched by Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper.
And while he’s hardly going to bag his new employers, Roberts’ first impressions of new coach Darren Coleman’s NSW set-up were both glowing and genuine.
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“Super professional, the place runs like clockwork,” the 35-year-old centre told 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio.
“They’ve got everything down to a tee in all facets of professionalism, whether that’s analysis or your S and C (strength and conditioning) stuff. The coaching group is all run like clockwork, all top level, so as a player there are no excuses.
“No excuses to strive to realise your potential. I’ve been in loads of setups throughout my career which may be short of one thing or another, where players think ‘oh that’s not good enough’ or it may be an excuse for not striving.
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“But it seems like they’ve got it completely sussed out, the Tahs. After my first week I don’t see any reason why we can’t compete.”
Roberts will get his first game action in sky blue in a trial match against the Australian champion Reds in Roma on Saturday.
The hard running midfielder has been named on the bench and assures Tahs fans he’s not in Sydney for a holiday.
“I don’t think I’d play the game if I couldn’t compete,” said Roberts, whose partner is an Aussie.
“I don’t really want to put a time on when I’ll finish playing but I think if my body is good and I’m competing and playing at the level and intensity and pace of the game which I can compete at, I’ll keep playing.
“The minute I drop off that I’ll give the game up… Super Rugby is different, it’s quicker, I need to adapt to that pretty quickly but I still feel that I’m performing at a level that is competitive.”
Roberts had also been impressed with NSW centres Izaia Perese and Lalakai Foketi, who both made their Wallabies debuts last year.
“I think the biggest challenge for me here is to get in the team. There’s a couple of talented lads in the midfield so it’s going to be difficult for me to break into that,” he said.
“But even if I can support those lads achieving their goals, that’s another part of my remit here. One, to strive to be in the team and win games for the club but also to help those lads achieve their potential.”
WARATAHS (15-1): Alex Newsome, Dylan Pietsch, Izaia Perese, Lalakai Foketi, James Turner, Ben Donaldson, Jake Gordon (c), Will Harris, Charlie Gamble, Lachlan Swinton, Geoff Cridge, Jed Holloway, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Tom Horton, Angus Bell
Reserves: Tetera Faulkner, Mahe Vailanu, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tom Silk, Hugh Sinclair, Henry Robertson, Tane Edmed, Tevita Funa, Jamie Roberts, Nick Chan, Triston Reilly, James Ramm
REDS (15-1): Jock Campbell, Jordan Petaia, Josh Flook, Hamish Stewart, Filipo Daugunu, James O’Connor, Kalani Thomas, Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight, Liam Wright (c), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angus Blyth, Feao Fotuaika, Josh Nasser, Dane Zander
Reserves: Alex Mafi, Harry Hoopert, Taniela Tupou, Seru Uru, Angus Scott-Young, Spencer Jeans, Floyd Aubrey, Mac Grealy, Ryan Smith, Lawson Creighton, Taj Annan
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