Hanging Out at GPS Rugby Club / An Interview with the Ruan and JP Smith Twins

GPS Rugby club, often affectionately referred to as "Jeeps" is the oldest of the Rugby Clubs in Brisbane. It's a very friendly place as I found out (and as my interviewees also testified). At the same time, the club is very competitive. They are the only club that has made all six sets of finals this year, including the Premier mens and womens divisions.

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The finals are this weekend at Ballymore! Make sure you get on down and support the teams. Find all of the match information here.

On Sunday, 1:30pm: GPS Women's XV are playing against Sunnybank!

3:05: GPS (Men's) are playing University of Queensland

5:15pm: - Easts are playing Souths!
I'm pretty excited to say the least.

During training, it was great chatting to Tim (Hooker Troy Simpkin's dad), who filled me in on many things GPS related.

Good to see old mate Bobby Tuttle at training too. He was glad I finally made it to "the best club".

An Interview with Ruan and JP Smith

I enjoyed getting to catch up with JP and Ruan, two Reds players that love their club, GPS. I was lucky to get to interview JP back in January (you can catch up on it here). Soon after, his brother followed him to the Queensland Reds and they've been loving playing on the same team again. (I dare say Reds fans have been happy too.) Because it was his first interview, there are some questions I directed at Ruan. As everyone that's met them knows, they are great fun and always ready to make fun of each other.

Thanks to both of you for making some time. Ruan, it’s great we finally get to catch up for Reds Rugby Rules!

Ruan: Thanks Tommy, really appreciate it. Always good seeing you.

How long have both of you played for GPS?

Ruan: We came to Australia in 2010, started playing with GPS in 2011, 12, then in 2013 I went to the Brumbies, then JP in 2014 came as well. So since 2011, on and off.

The Premier Rugby semi-final is this Sunday at Ballymore. How excited are you about this game?

JP: Yeah, we really can’t wait. We really approach these games the same as we approach the Reds games. Having the disappointment of playing in the semi-final three years, 2011, 12, 13, we’ve lost all 3 games. So we really want to win this one.

What are some things that you both love about this Club?

Ruan: In 2010, when we decided on a club… we went to a few other clubs, but when we first came to Jeeps and they introduced us, we immediately felt at home. It was just an instant choice. We met all the boys and we had one training session and just decided. It’s a family environment, it’s a friendly club. [JP: Everyones tight. Ruan:] and that’s what my brother and I are all about. That automatically drew us to Jeeps.

I have asked JP about his rugby journey... Ruan, other than GPS and the Reds, which teams have you played for around the world? And when did you start playing footy?

Ruan: I started playing when I was a kid, 10, 11 or around there.  I played soccer at first, believe it or not.

JP: Obviously not goalie. (Both laugh.)

Ruan: So we started at Jeeps, 2010. Then I went to the Brumbies and I played 4 seasons there, 2013-16 and I went to Japan in between and played 3 seasons for Toyota Virblitz. And now I’m in Queensland.

Which of you is older? And how often do you get introduced as each other? 

JP: I’m older, 3 minutes. But Ruan sometimes doesn’t get that, because you, know, he disrespects me a fair bit. No respect for the older brother. 

Ruan: Yeah, we still get mixed up at the Reds. I’ll get called JP, he’ll get called Ruan. But we’re so used to it, we’ll just react. It’s so normal. If someone calls me JP, I’m just be like “yep”!

What is the biggest trick you have played on someone because of it?

Ruan: The school one?

JP: Yeah.

Ruan: I reckon, when we were in high school and we had this geography teacher we didn’t really like a lot at the time. And we always used to say… “JP would you take this period for me and I’ll take your period.” So he’d come into my class and I’d come into his class. 

But eventually we got caught because in school we had allocated seats and JP went into class for me and he sat in the wrong seat. So the teacher was like “what are you doing?” And that’s how they caught us.

Mostly sort of innocent tricks like that. Not too much bad stuff. (Laughs).

Ruan, what does playing in Brisbane, in the State of Queensland mean to you?

Mate, I get asked this question a lot. For me… we moved to Queensland in 2006 and my parents went to the Reds games back then and they still have the same season tickets behind the uprights.

For 10 years, they’ve had the same season tickets. My families here, my brothers here, my parents live on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane is home.

Coming back here when I had the opportunity was a no-brainer for me. So that’s the main thing for me, family.

JP, you gave a great answer to this last time... Ruan, what’s some advice you would give to young boys and girls wanting to play footy?

The advice I give kids is never forget why you started playing. Cos it’s the most important thing. Sometimes down the track, especially if you make it professionally, you sort of forget the reason why you started. The camaraderie and the mate-ship, never forget that and enjoy it for the right reasons.

What’s something that only you two know about each other?

Ruan: That’s a good question that one. I think that we are into chick-flicks.

JP: Yeah that’s a big one, we watch a lot of romantic comedies. And we actually prefer watching romantic comedies, with each other, which is a bit weird. (Both laugh).

Ruan: I guess that’s how close we are.

JP: People don’t know, except for those camera jokes that we post, how scared you really are, of scary movies and being alone in the dark Ruan.

Ruan: I’m just real edgy all the time.

JP: I can lay in the living room for example and I’ll yell to my brother “did you hear that knock?” And he’ll just say “JP, stop it! Stop it!”

Ruan: I’m just on edge, always. I hope not many people know that. But now they do.

JP: I take a bit of advantage of it some times.

Thanks JP and Ruan for catching up this week!  All the best this weekend and may the best team win!

JP: Thanks big man. Thanks for coming out in the cold. I know it’s a lot of effort to come and watch the Gallopers.

Ruan: Cheers for that, always a pleasure my friend.

It was great meeting club CEO and former Wallaby, Anthony Herbert.

Anthony told me that because it often gets cold at the club, they have a wood supply for an outdoor fire. Sometimes, they'll gather around it, with food and drinks and sometimes even live music! (Sounds like my kind of party.)

Congrats to the Women's XV on making this years final.

The Women trained for even longer than they men. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay until the end because the cold began to get to me. See you guys on Sunday though!
(And don't worry, I'll have some Women's interviews for Reds Rugby Rules coming soon).

You can find info about GPS Rugby club here: www.gpsrugby.com.au (They're also on Facebook here). Pay them a visit, you won't regret it!