Sydney's A-League soccer clubs struggled after moving out of their home grounds, but NSW Waratahs five-eighth Bernard Foley is adamant it will be a positive for his side.
Both Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC had home form issues after being forced out of venues earmarked for reconstruction.
The Wanderers have struggled at ANZ And Spotless Stadiums after moving from their Parramatta base and Sydney lost their first two games at Jubilee Stadium, though they have won their last five matches at the venue.
Like Sydney, the Tahs have been had to look for alternative home venues due to the rebuild of Allianz Stadium.
They start their 2019 Super Rugby campaign on Saturday against the Hurricanes at Brookvale Oval, where they lost to the Blues last year.
NSW will play three matches at both the SCG and the new Western Sydney Stadium plus a historic first Super home game outside Sydney at Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium.
"I think it's a really positive aspect of this year," Foley said.
"The silver lining of not having a (permanent) home ground is that we can go out and reconnect with a lot of our fans bases around Sydney and around the state.
"Getting to play in Newcastle, western Sydney, Brookvale and at the SCG, is something that's pretty exciting for us."
Something else Foley hasn't done is play alongside the Tahs new centre combination of recently recruited veterans Karmichael Hunt and Adam Ashely-Cooper.
Hunt gets first crack at the No.12 jersey, with Kurtley Beale being given the week off.
"It's going to be different, isn't it? He (Beale) creates a great spark, but Karmichael has got a different flavour," Foley said.
"He'll probably be a bit more direct, but he'll take the ball forward and get us over the gain line as well."
Foley said Hunt and Ashley-Cooper had brought a lot to the Tahs since joining the group last month.
"Karmichael's intensity at training, how he prepares and how hard he goes in everything has been amazing and I think its rubbed off on a lot of the guys in the squad," he said.
"And Swoop (Ashley-Cooper) has come back with such a great rugby IQ and he is imposing that on the rest of the squad."
Share
