Waratahs prop Harry Johnson-Holmes believes the fear of missing out is driving players to stay in Australian Rugby, confident the Wallabies are onto 'something special.'
Johnson-Holmes has had a breakout season in Super Rugby Pacific, earning selection in the first squad of 2022 before he was sidelined with injury.
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Fearing an ACL injury, the 25-year-old was relieved to hear he had only damaged his MCL, leaving him ready to return for the finals and the series against England, which starts July 2.
“The scans came back as positive as they could be. We’re just working hard towards (returning for finals and England) and getting some good progress," he said via Rugby.com.au
“I thought I’d completely done an absolute number on my knee so I thought I might not be playing footy for the next 12 months."
The prop is amongst a host of players to sign on beyond the 2023 Rugby World Cup, lured by the upcoming '23 World Cup and Lions series in 2025.
“It’s indicative of the people in the past couple of weeks saying they are keen to stay on home soil and play in Super Rugby rather than copping some good money overseas,” he believes.
“It’s an exciting event. People want to play in the World Cup and for it to be played in Australia, it’s going to be a really historic event for this era of Australian Rugby players."
However, there's a more immediate success that Johnson-Holmes is more eager to be a part of, with a chance to create a legacy with the Wallabies at the forefront.
The three-Test series against England will see Dave Rennie's men look for their first win over the old rivals since 2015 and their first series victory since 2006.
This coupled with a chance to break the Bledisloe drought sets up an important year for the Wallabies, with Johnson-Holmes suggesting the chance to create a 'legacy' is outweighing the lure of an overseas venture.
“I think it comes down to confidence as players in the program we have at the national level," he added.
"You don’t want to be the person who misses out on the glory that comes from the hard work we’re putting in at the Super level.
“It’s less about that money aspect or the experience of going overseas, it’s more so people wanting to be a part of the legacy. If you are around that Wallabies group, you’ll understand we’re on the cusp of something special and a genuine legacy in that green and gold.”
