'A different realm': ACT Brumbies prop James Slipper opens up on fatherhood, Wallabies records and World Cup hopes

Then he mentions the birth of his daughter Lily and finds himself in "a different realm".

"You get the adrenaline, the hyped up feeling around playing footy, the change room feeling after a good win," Slipper said after signing a new deal with Rugby Australia and the ACT Brumbies that takes him through to the end of 2025.

"But after a birth, it's just a sense of love. That's what I had, as soon as I saw my baby girl. It's a different feeling all together, and one I haven't experienced before.

"It's been a whirlwind. Welcomed little Lily into the world and it was one of the best moments of my life. To be able to call myself a dad now is pretty scary, but it's something I am really proud of. My partner [Kara] did a wonderful job.

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"I've taken a lot of advice off Nic White, who has got three young boys. What I figured was, if he can do it, I can do it. In all honesty, it's been tough, the lack of sleep. But the amount of love you have for your child overrules everything.

"I was lucky that it happened nearly two weeks ago now, the finals are upon us now and I get to concentrate on the footy now."

Which starts with a Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final against the Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

Win, and the Brumbies advance to a semi-final likely to be played across the Tasman. Lose, and it's over. No more White or Pete Samu in an ACT jersey, no more Laurie Fisher bucket hats, no more Dan Palmer scrummaging masterclasses.

The Brumbies enter as outsiders on their own turf, but still regarded as the only Australian outfit who can genuinely give this competition a shake - even if captain Allan Alaalatoa is sidelined with a calf injury.

There are concerns Alaalatoa is racing the clock to be fit for the start of the Rugby Championship, during which 127-Test Slipper, who enters the tournament as the Wallabies' incumbent captain, continues his march towards becoming Australia's most-capped player.

"I don't know how I feel to be honest. It's something that has never been at the forefront of my mind. It's not like I sit there after each season and think 'Perfect, I've ticked off another 10 and I'm climbing the ladder'," Slipper said.

"It's more about surviving the season and getting ready for the next one. It's like anything, even the things you win, you enjoy the moment when it's there and then you reflect on it when you finish up. That's probably something I'll do if I get there.

"To be honest with you, I don't even know how many I am behind, I must be close. What is it? Ten, 12, 15?"

For the record, Slipper is 12 caps behind George Gregan's Australian record of 139. Michael Hooper is the only other current Wallaby within reach, but the 124-Test veteran is weighing up a move to the world sevens circuit at the end of the year.

Exactly how much Slipper has left in the tank is anyone's guess. He reckons he has said each of his last two deals would be his last, so now he goes the other way and says he will "never say never".

"There's a high chance it could be the end. What I can say is it will be the end of my international career," Slipper said.

It means Slipper could bow out from international rugby with a Lions series in 2025 - one he says is perhaps the biggest tournament a player could feature in outside of a World Cup.

"It's one thing wanting to play it," Slipper said, "but I've got to get there first."

First comes this year's World Cup in France. The Wallabies have slipped to seventh in World Rugby's rankings but will enter the international season hoping for a new dawn after Eddie Jones returned to the helm.

"We've got an intention to go over there and win it, that's our goal and it's probably every other country's goal," Slipper said.

"At the moment, we understand how much work we've got in front of us and how much hard work we're putting into it now. As a playing group, we understand it's going to take a lot.

"We're confident we can get there and we've just got to make sure we put ourselves in the best shape as a team. We're confident we can beat anyone."

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