Even the best couples can hit rocky times but Will Genia has never lost faith he and partner-in-crime Quade Cooper would come out the other end.
On the basis of their last two Wallabies games together, the spark is back in the Genia-Cooper combination that wowed world rugby in 2010 and 2011.
But before the 54-16 rout of Argentina and an impressive last-start display against the All Blacks, the critics were right to wonder if they’d seen the best of the previously-lethal Queensland halves.
The Reds struggled to average two tries a game in Super Rugby this year and long-time coach Ewen McKenzie benched both during his first five Tests in charge.
Genia’s belief in their union, though, remained unshakeable and he’s buoyed by their form and chemistry heading into the Wallabies important tour-opener against England on Sunday morning (AEDT).
“We hadn’t played too much footy in the gold jersey for a while until the last two games,” he told AAP.
“We scored points and I thought that spark was there and that relationship is always really strong off the field and on the field.
“It’s just good to be back playing with each other and playing with that rhythm, that confidence and momentum.”
The onus is heavily on Genia and Cooper to continue that momentum at Twickenham where England immediately loom as Australia’s toughest assignment in their quest for a second-ever grand slam.
Genia, who had to overcome his 2012 knee reconstruction a year after the mercurial five-eighth underwent the same surgery, felt any concerns they were a fading force were pure folly.
“It’s just footy,” the world-class halfback said. “Things are always going to happen where you get injured, you’re going through a rough patch, you might need a break but you can’t.
“You can’t read into things too much. But at the end of the day we love playing with each other, we enjoy playing with each other and we look forward to it every single time.”
Genia now views his shock axing during The Rugby Championship as a blessing in disguise, giving him the chance to refresh for the end of a long season.
While a grand slam would atone for a 3-7 record this year, the Wallabies don’t view it as a shot at avenging the painful 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions.
“There’s no such thing as revenge,” Genia said. “If you lose against the Lions you lose. It’s once every 12 years.
“That’s done.
“It hurts too much to even think about.”
