The goal for the Wallabies appears simple, a return to the "golden era" of Australian rugby of the 1990s and 2000s, but the process is anything but.
Over the last decade Australian rugby has stuttered and stalled, before seemingly hitting rock bottom with their unceremonious ejection from the 2023 Rugby World Cup in the pool stages under controversial coach Eddie Jones.
Now, under Joe Schmidt, the side has risen once again, with many deeming the side "back" after their latest stunning after-the-siren victory over Argentina in Townsville on the weekend, which saw them claw back a 21-7 deficit. It comes just weeks after they achieved what many thought the impossible by stunning the Springboks at Ellis Park to end a 62-year drought. That win too, coming from an amazing second half comeback after they fell 22 points behind.
It comes months after they ended a nine-game winless run against England and scored their first win at Twickenham since 2015, in yet another come-from-behind victory.
The wins give off faint echoes of what the teams of the 1990s and early 2000s achieved but are still a long way off the Bledisloe Cup titles, two World Cups and domination the Wallabies of yesteryear enjoyed.
While the side has seen a significant turnaround in the last 12 months, already winning more TRC games halfway through the tournament than they did in last year's event alone, and confidence and belief within the group is at an all-time high, the team are determined to keep their feet on the ground with "honesty" at the main core of the team's philosophy.
"If I had to put it down to one word, I think it's just honesty," prop Angus Bell said. "Honesty with feedback, honesty as a group in reflection of where we are.
"A year and a half ago, two years ago, we weren't where we needed to be as a team, both collectively and individually. That honesty piece is huge for us because we just try and get better and better and we know where we stand, and where we need to get better because we aren't a finished product yet.
"We know how much more growth we have in us as a team and individually, and look, we're just looking to get better each week.
"We know that a win against Argentina in Townsville is a good step towards where we need to go and the result was great, but you've got to look at the steps before that and where we needed to get better, where we went wrong or where we needed to improve.
"As Len [Ikitau] touched on before, the support we get from the Australian public has been awesome as of late and we just want to keep growing that. And Australian rugby needs to be back to where it was when we were in those golden years. That's our goal, but we just keep things really simple, and we know we have a lot more growth in us and we need to get better."
Alongside honesty, Bell added there was a real sense of positivity amongst the group.
"As you can see that the group's really happy, really tight, and not just the 23 as well, it's the full squad. A lot of players are extremely happy when the team's named, even when you're not involved.
"It's a really positive environment. It's probably the best environment I've been a part of."
Leading the charge for the group through all three incredible victories, as well as their third Test win in nightmare conditions in Sydney against the British & Irish Lions, has been Harry Wilson who appeared as the unlikely captain of the group at the close of 2024 due to a horror injury run through the group. Now, with his playing group backing him, he appears to be a natural leader for the group.
"We all love playing for Harry," Bell said. "He wears his heart on his sleeve. He's one of those players that has a huge engine, never stops. I've been playing with Harry since I was 18, so Harry's always been a leader with actions.
"Where he's taken this whole of his team has been awesome under Joe. We all have full faith in Harry and the leaders around him, which are very important to Harry's development and his leadership.
"The way he's really direct with his instruction, what he wants from the team is really awesome.
"Then those little micro chats that happen around the group, for example, in the front row is led by, you know, Throbba [James Slipper] and Alan [Alaalatoa and Nella [Taniela Tupou] and those sorts of players.
"[Wilson] He's been unbelievable for us. We love playing under him. You can see that the group's really happy, really tight and not just the 23 as well. It's the full squad.
"A lot of players are extremely happy when the team's named, even when you're not involved. It's a really positive environment.
"It's probably the best environment I've been a part of. It helps when you're winning."
With a second Pumas clash in Sydney ahead of them before a massive two-Test Bledisloe series in a fortnight, Australia won't get ahead of themselves as they chase the "golden era", but they know there's still more from the group to come.
"Australian rugby needs to be back to where it was. You know when we're in that I guess golden era. So that's our goal, but we just keep things really simple, and we know we have a lot more growth in us and we need to get better."