Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis knows he must keep improving if he’s to retain starting spot

INFORMED captaincy offers him no protection from the axe, NSW skipper Dave Dennis is working on taking his game to the next level.

INFORMED captaincy offers him no protection from the axe, NSW skipper Dave Dennis says the arrival of Springbok Jacques Potgieter is driving him to take his game to a new level in 2014.

The Waratahs take on Western Force in their Super Rugby opener Sunday afternoon at Allianz Stadium, and for many NSW fans it will be the first sight of South African recruit Potgieter in Waratahs gear.

The 27-year-old, who will play off the bench, signed for the Tahs late last year from the Pretoria-based Bulls, where he built a fearsome reputation in the backrow.

Despite playing his three Tests for the Springboks against England at No.6 in 2012, the Waratahs said they’d signed Potgieter as a lock; a claim seen by some as diplomatic, given Dennis captains the side from the same position.

But the forthright Dennis said he was not immune to the intense competition for most spots in the Waratahs team, and regardless of what is written on his website profile, Potgieter clearly shapes as a backrow challenger.

“From day one, ‘Cheik’ (NSW coach Michael Cheika) said to me I am captain but my position is never safe. That’s an important thing to have,” Dennis said.

“I have never assumed otherwise. It is a challenge but you want that. The reality is for a lot of footballers, if you are not challenged, your game drops. What’s your motivation?

“Apart from your desire to contribute to the team, what’s your individual motivation to get better?News_Rich_Media: Western Force coach Michael Foley expects his former side, NSW Waratahs, to provide a stern challenge during their Super Rugby opener this weekend, with plenty of experience in Michael Cheika's ranks.

“So for me, I know Jacque is a handy backrower and if I am not on my game, there’s a chance he may play in that position. That’s good. I am looking this year to improve as a footballer, and there’s no better way than being under pressure.”

Waratahs players have been belting each other at training all summer in the hope of winning selection for round one, but had to wait until last Tuesday to learn if they’d got the nod.

The competitive heat at training was fuelled by Cheika giving the players very little in the way of insight into where they stood.

“Cheik is great at having that balance in instilling confidence in a player, but also keeping them a bit of edge, to know they have to keep working,” Dennis said.

Title-winning coach Ewen McKenzie says successful sides usually have the depth to leave Test players on the bench, and the Waratahs have that luxury on Sunday.

Reserve prop Sekope Kepu, centre Rob Horne and Potgieter qualify, and backrower Stephen Hoiles has Wallaby experience as well.

“So it’s a healthy thing to have, Wallabies on the bench. It pushes blokes,” Dennis said.

“I have seen a genuine shift in attitudes this year from guys who I have played with for a while. Including my own.News_Rich_Media: Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has admitted he is nervous ahead of his side's Super Rugby opener against Western Force on Sunday.

“I tried to change a lot of things last year, just in the way I manage myself. Cheik is big on always pushing yourself. I am 28 but I still want to become a better footballer.”

Most teams talk it up in the pre-season, with varying motivations.

The Waratahs have had a huge cultural personnel change since last year – 20 of the 35-man squad have only been coached by Cheika – but the ghosts of 2012 still haunt the training park.

The miserly four-win season doesn’t get directly mentioned but the core issues of the horror year are a constant touchstone, said Dennis.

“The thing that’s been mentioned with that was that as a group, we probably haven’t worked hard enough, or played consistently well enough, for years,” Dennis said.

“It was definitely a reality check. We looked at it and thought: “What have we been doing as a group?” And then thinking well, we have done it for so long and it hasn’t worked, so we have to change something.

“The easiest thing is the work ethic. To work harder and be more consistent in your everyday training level. Our intensity has gone up in every session, our gym work, our off-field stuff, recovery, all that stuff over the last 12 months has been worked on a lot harder by the group.

“There’s a strong drive at the moment, I have been really happy with the guys’ desire to really work hard. We just talked about at the end of the year, looking back and going: “No regrets”.

“If we come up short, we will only need to look at the tactical side of how we played. It won’t be attitude or effort.”