Allan Alaalatoa says Dave Rennie's arrival has unified the Wallabies through culture, and now the mentor's move could transform them into a Bledisloe Cup force.
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The Wallabies mentor has brought his side together by calling on players with Pacific Island heritage to share a song with the rest of the touring party.
Alaalatoa believes it has strengthened the bond between his Wallabies teammates as they look to upset the All Blacks in a Bledisloe Cup showdown at Eden Park on Sunday.
First it was those with Fijian heritage, then Alaalatoa's ACT Brumbies teammate Folau Fainaga'a combined with Taniela Tupou sharing a Tongan song.
Now 26-year-old Alaalatoa, whose father Vili played alongside Scott Sio's dad Tavita for Western Samoa in their 1991 Rugby World Cup run to the quarter-finals, is yearning to share a piece of his own heritage.
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"That's been one of the great changes this year that I've felt. There's a lot of boys who come from Pacific Island descent," Alaalatoa said.
"One of the great things Rennie has brought forward is the Fijians have shared a song for the boys to learn, and the Tongans have also shared a song for the team to learn as well. We're just waiting for the Samoan one, we'll wait for Scotty to lead that for the boys.
"Those times off the field, it's been great for us. The more we can connect off the field, the better it will be for us on the field. The more we can get to know each other, it's crucial heading into all of these tough Tests.
"It was really good to see everyone enjoy the song and learn the song. It's just little ways to bring the team together, it's great from the coaching staff.
"That's the best thing about it, when you're seeing the non-Pacific Islander boys getting stuck into the song and enjoying it. It's a genuine feel of wanting to connect. That's the best thing about it, and definitely a huge reason why our culture is growing.
"Just in terms of culture and the things we do off the field, it has been a big difference for us."
On the field the visitors head to Auckland in search of their first win at Eden Park since 1986. For so long a Wallaby burial ground, Alaalatoa is confident they can snap the drought.
Because he describes their outing in game one of the series - in which they walked away with a 16-16 draw - as a mere six out of 10.
The All Blacks have their sights set on retribution just as they dished out last year, when they backed up a 47-26 loss to the Wallabies in Perth with a 36-0 hammering seven days later in Auckland.
The winner this week flies to Australia with a one-game lead. The loser will be faced with the tough task of winning win back-to-back games to clinch the series.
Rest assured Alaalatoa and a tight-knit Wallabies outfit are vowing to rise to another level as they set their sights on their first win on New Zealand soil in 19 years.
BLEDISLOE CUP GAME TWO
Sunday - All Blacks v Wallabies at Eden Park, 2pm.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
