Three games into his Wallabies tenure, Joe Schmidt insists he's still a pragmatist.
The former Ireland and All Blacks coach has demonstrated as such at with measured approaches to returning stars Marika Koroibete and Angus Bell while cooling expectations on young tyros Corey Toole and Max Jorgensen.
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He's also rewarded early performers in the July Series such as Tom Wright, Filipo Daugunu and Lukhan Salakai-Loto while covering the loss of Fraser McReight with two genuine opensides in Carlo Tizzano and Luke Reimer.
But a deeper dive into selections ahead of Saturday's TRC opener against South Africa shows a romantic counterpoint to Schmidt's pragmatism - one in the "Ted Lasso" mould.
"It's never just individuals that can win you a game," Schmidt told media on Thursday in Brisbane.
"We've got to collectively build a Wallabies team, squad and belief. Hopefully, there can be a little bit of a look at that on Saturday."
Belief. Believe.
It's easy to draw parallels between Schmidt's young Wallabies and fictional English football club AFC Richmond.
For those who haven't seen the hit Apple TV Series, "Ted Lasso" follows the titular coach leading a beleaguered club from the doldrums of relegation to lofty heights with a combination of team-first selections and positive reinforcement.
Both teams bear historic scars. Both have great potential - a combination of grizzled veterans and genuine prospects that can be greater than the sum of their parts.
And both have a fan base starved of success, desperate to believe once more.
"Walking back from a function yesterday, people in the street were saying good luck on Saturday," Schmidt said.
"I haven't spent a huge amount of time in the rugby community here but there seems to be a real support going into the weekend which swings both ways for us.
"There's an expectation that we have to try to live up to but there's a support that we want to keep earning."
Few countries ranked ninth would consider themselves a chance against South Africa, though recent history (11 wins from their past 12 outings against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium) must play a part with 52,000 expected on Saturday afternoon.
Yet Schmidt is loathe to adopt the easy underdog tag, instead opting to back his players and systems rather than rushing in the star power of Koroibete and Bell against a well-oiled and well-respected Springbok machine.
"Whatever you do against South Africa, you've got to be able to match up at set piece because that's where the whole thing starts. From there, they really stressed Ireland going side to side, the width of their attack.
"Then on our side, I think we're going to just have to make sure that we're really accurate. A quarter of the tries they've scored over the last year have been from turnover.
"If you give them that oxygen and allow them to breathe on the edges or through and behind you, because they can turn the game around so quickly with the likes of Cheslin and Kurt Lee Arendse and Willie Le Roux with his experience in passing game."
Schmidt's naming Isaac Kailea for his second Test start against the South African front row is an enormous vote of confidence, as is handing Tizzano and Reimer a debut cap against champion duo Pieter-Steph du Toit and Siya Kolisi.
The backing of back-three duo Filipo Daugunu, Andrew Kellaway and Tom Wright is also telling with temptations aplenty in Koroibete, Toole and Jorgensen.
But above all, it demonstrates belief.
Belief in his personnel to not to fold under pressure by matching the Springboks' 6-2 split.
Belief in Jeremy Williams (three tests) to cover second and backrow against the likes of RG Snyman, Eben Etzebeth and Marco Van Staden.
Belief in young props Kailea (two tests) and Zane Nongorr (seven tests) to match Ox Nche, Frans Malherbe and co.
Belief in the mercurial Wright to hold his nerve against the world's most prolific try creator in Willie Le Roux.
“You’ve got to have conviction in what you’re doing," Schmidt added.
“By being overly focused on (South Africa), we can start to lose a bit of our own identity in how these players we’ve got want to play.”
Ultimately, it's belief that will deliver another Wallabies upset on its happiest hunting ground - and the players might just believe it too.
"Suncorp's a really good spot for Australian rugby. We haven't lost many games there, it's a dangerous spot and it's home for us," Hunter Paisami told media on Thursday.
"I'm so excited," added teammate Josh Nasser. "It's not often you get play in your home state in front of a packed crowd so I'm bloody excited."
Bring on Saturday.
