Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt urges resurgent Aussies to maintain the rage

The Wallabies coaching group chat is buzzing with positivity.

But while pleased with Australia's promising start to Super Rugby Pacific, head honcho Joe Schmidt is demanding the four clubs maintain the rage in an all-important British and Irish Lions year.

Remarkably, the competition's only two unbeaten teams are the 3-0 NSW Waratahs and the 2-0 Queensland Reds, who take on the Crusaders in Christchurch in a fascinating Sunday afternoon clash.

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If the Reds beat the Crusaders, it will be only the second time in Super Rugby history that the New Zealand contingent has gone winless across a weekend.

The Kiwis went 0-5 in round 12 in 2000 - a year in which the Crusaders went on to win the title.

Michael Cheika's 2014 Waratahs were the last non-New Zealand team to lift the trophy but NSW, Queensland and the ACT Brumbies all present as finals threats this season.

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The Brumbies headlined a weekend of boilovers by knocking over the defending champion Blues at Eden Park on Friday night.

Coach Stephen Larkham was misty eyed after the club's first win at New Zealand's rugby fortress since 2013.

"It's still early season, so it's still quite a long way away, and I've no doubt that the Blues will get a bit of their mojo back," Schmidt, a former Blues assistant, told Stan Sport in Sydney on Saturday.

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"They didn't suddenly become champions last year and not still highly competitive this year. They were missing a few, but you just see the excitement from the Brumbies guys.

"You know, Steve's pretty laconic, he doesn't get too excited, but I think even Steve was pretty excited about that.

"And I'd had a catch up with him in the morning before the game and he's just very thorough in what he's doing. Rod Seib's doing a great job, Benny Mowen (both assistants to Larkham) and it's great - the strength and depth of coaches is there."

Schmidt is signing off as Wallabies coach after this year's Rugby Championship and Larkham, Les Kiss (Reds) and Dan McKellar (Waratahs) appear locked in a tight contest to replace him.

"It's been really open. We've really enjoyed the conversations with coaches, and with players as well," Schmidt said.

"It's exciting and for us, there'll be a couple of the coaches here tonight (at Saturday's Waratahs vs Western Force game).

"The other ones, we have this kind of group chat and it's going throughout the game. 'Gee, did you see this? Did you see that?'

"And then we will put it in the basket during the week... these early rounds, the player profiles are pretty good - the rugby, the confidence, and the spread of players who are performing well."

Schmidt was asked specifically about Force No.10 Ben Donaldson's hot start to the season - before the Waratahs encounter.

"Donno's started really strongly. The length of his kicking game, obviously the acceleration when he got away to score that nailbiter, to topple Moana (Pasifika) in the first game, I think he's been really good.

"There's always bits and pieces that we're looking for guys to work away on.

"And those are conversations that Donno and (Force coach) Simon Cron and our coaching staff have, which is great."