Phil Mooney is excited by the challenge of his new role as Australia A coach, not to mention confident that the fast-approaching IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2008 will showcase the talented young players starting to emerge in the country.
The 42-year-old is no stranger to working with promising youngsters, having guided Australia to their first ever IRB Under 19 World Championship title in 2006, while as Queensland Reds coach in this year's Super 14 Mooney has been able to see his potential players in action.
"I have got a good handle on the young talent that is in our country," Mooney told Total Rugby Radio this week. "There is some great talent in depth starting to emerge in Australia and I think the future is really good for us in moving forward in the next couple of years.
"The side hasn't been selected yet, but I would imagine that the Australian A side will include some of the great emerging talent in our country and it will provide them with a level of rugby above the Super 14 to prepare them for Test football should they be called up in the near future."
Mooney, who succeeds Laurie Fisher as Australia A coach, will not have long to prepare his players for their opening match against Japan in Fukuoka on Sunday 8 June with a trip to Samoa and home games against Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand Maori to come over consecutive weekends.
However Mooney remains hopeful that Australia A can better their runners-up position on their debut in 2007 to defending champions the Junior All Blacks in a competition he insists is hugely important not only for Australia but the other nations involved.
Vital competition for all involved
"It [the IRB Pacific Nations Cup] is a fantastic concept, over here in Australia after the Super 14 we do have a bit of a vacuum in terms of high level rugby above our club competitions, so this certainly fills a void from an Australian rugby point of view.
"I think importantly in this region of the world with the Pacific islands who did very, very well at the last World Cup, it is great for them to have regular competition as well.
"Fiji did very well at the World Cup making the quarter-finals, Tonga did very well and Samoa have historically done well in previous World Cups and Japan under All Black great John Kirwan have slowly been building, so it is a great tournament for us.
"Then of course New Zealand Maori, I don't think there has ever been a poor New Zealand side at any level, so it provides us in Australia with a high level of competition and importantly provides the Pacific nations with some competition that they have been crying out for.
"I guess we are going into the tournament with a couple of things we are trying to get out of it, number one it provides another stepping stone for the emerging talent and I guess it also provides an opportunity for top level players just outside the Test 22 to get some regular competition.
"Ultimately if we play well we would like to think we are a pretty good chance to give the tournament a bit of a shake and that would be great for us."
