Catching up with Caleb Timu

Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Caleb Timu, Reds back rower. After being restricted by injury for some of last year, he bounced back and had a great NRC season playing for Queensland country. As he shared, he's looking forward to the Reds season ahead, and is ready to give it his all!

[Also, since catching up last week, his second child was born just a few days ago! Congratulations!!!]

Hi Caleb, thanks for taking the time to catch up!

No worries, my pleasure.

How is pre-season training going?

Yeah pre-seasons training’s nice and tough, nice and hot out here as you can see, you’ve been out here. But it’s been good, the boys have been putting in some good hard work. So when the season comes, we’re ready to play some good rugby for you and all the other fans!

How excited are you about the 2018 season?

Yeah I’m really excited. The season should be really good. As you know, we’ve got a few new players in, and also a new coaching staff, so things have gone well. I’m really exciting about how we can put some good performances and together and really do Queensland proud. Hopefully I can play some Super Rugby this year and get out on the pitch.

I'm excited, to say the least. I think it's gonna be a good year.

Definitely!

Let's work our way backwards. Congrats on the NRC season win last year!

Thanks man! Yeah it was really good. Good for Queensland Country to get a premiership, after a few years of not doing so well. Thanks for all your support for our NRC campaign!

You started your professional journey with the Brisbane Broncos. What was it that drew you to Rugby Union?

I think just a career change for me at the time. The Reds provided an opportunity for me to play at the highest level, that was one of the big reasons for me to come across. I’d just got married, and wanted to do whats best for my family. A few reasons.

How old were you when you started playing rugby?

I first played rugby at under-8s, that was for the Sunnybank Dragons. That was my very first sport, I came across from New Zealand at age 5. I was playing under-9s with Samu Kerevi, so we go way back, playing junior rugby together. So it’s cool, our paths kind of got us together to where we are now. So yeah, Sunnybank Dragons! It’s been a long time.

Who were your favourite players growing up?

My favourite player would have been Tana Umanga from the Hurricanes, and from Australian Rugby, Scott Higganbotham was someone I always like watching. And yeah, being able to play with him’s been pretty cool. Those two players, I liked watching them, and admired how they play.

What is your favourite part about playing for the Reds?

I just like the boys, the squad. The culture and the club. It’s really positive. I enjoy coming to training every day, it’s just a good place to be. That’s the main thing - the people and the club itself - the culture.

Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people may know?

Yep! A couple of things a lot of people don’t know - I play the tenor saxophone. I only know a few easy songs, but I own one, and I pick it up every now and then.

I also like baking, so cookies and cakes and whatever else. Growing up, I had a passion for baking.

Thanks Caleb for taking time out. Keep training hard. Reds fans are supporting you all the way.

Awesome! Thank you Tom. Thanks for the interview, for asking a few questions and for your support as always.

A Conversation with JP Smith

First of all, thanks for taking the time to read another Reds Rugby Rules post!

For sure excitement is building as we get closer to the start of the Reds 2018 season. I’ve enjoyed the fan days down at Ballymore recently. It’s been great to see other fans, young and old come down and watch the team train and meet the players!

This week was special because I got to catch up with JP Smith, one of the new players in the Reds squad. Smith's journey has taken him from South Africa (where he was born) to Australia, where he feels at home. JP is truely good company, and great for a laugh, just as he is a great rugby player on the field. Fresh from playing time in Japan, he shared with me his excitement about joining the Reds this year.

G'day JP, thanks for your time.

Sounds good mate. Thanks for having me, really appreciate it.

First of all, welcome to the Reds for 2018! I'm glad you jumped on board.

Thanks very much mate. It’s been really good here, settling and meeting everyone new. I’m familiar with Brisbane from my earlier age. It’s awesome to be here.

Does it feel like you've come "full circle" to end up here?

Yeah mate. It’s been really good. The boys have really taken me in and I’ve felt welcome since the first day I came here. It’s been exceptionally welcoming.

You were born in South Africa, did your schooling there and some in Australia. You've played Super Rugby in South Africa and Australia, and recently spent 6 months playing rugby in Japan. What's the number one thing that makes Queensland feel like home?

To be honest with you, my family immigrated here in 2006, when I was 16 years old, so that’s the first time for me that I remember. Representing and going to school in Toowoomba for one year, playing for Queensland was my only option. I think I started getting a love for Queensland at school.

It means a lot to me. My whole career, I tried to get here for the Reds, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. After 9 years, I’m finally here so I’m very happy about it.

It’s an awesome school, Toowoomba Grammar. I’ve still got connections there, John O’Farrell, the director of rugby. In my spare time, I’d love to go back there and give back. Toowoomba Grammar and Australia’s given me so much in my life.

What was it like coaching in the Sunshine Coast last year?

It was really interesting. I started missing rugby. I retired, due to a heart condition. So I took 6-7 months off, that was the only way for me to get back into rugby. So I started coaching and really enjoyed it. It’s something I’d like to get into in the future.

After 6-7 months, I got a second opinion and they gave me the thumbs up! That’s when I started to make myself available, had the opportunity to go to Japan, then got the opportunity with these guys.

Can you talk about your rugby journey at a young age. When did you decide you wanted to play rugby professionally?

Ok, so in South Africa, it’s obviously massive. Growing up, it’s almost like a religion. From the first day, I was very competitive and did all sports. I was very privileged to go to a good high school. Then when I started, I did everything, from cricket, athletics, swimming, then I soon noticed I only had a future in one of those sports and I had to choose rugby. I focused on that from when I was around 17-18, that’s when I decided I wanted to have a go at it. Then after that, I was in the Western province Stormers academy for a year and then came to Australia at the end of 2010. That’s when I ended up playing for GPS for a couple years, and then I went to the Brumbies from there. That’s where it all started.

Have you always been a Prop? And also, is it your preferred position?

No mate. To be honest, I would love to play fly-half (Laughs). But on a serious note, I was actually an inside centre until I was about 16 years old. I’ve got a twin brother, we were born identical, but I was always 20 kilos lighter than him. I was playing center and around grade 12, I sort of “popped out” and they said “no you’re too slow and fat for a center”. So basically that’s where it started. (Laughs)

What advice would you give to aspiring players, both boys and girls?

Mate, I would focus on the smaller things in rugby. When I was younger, I really neglected the smaller thing, like stretching, the small self-discipline things. And when you’re older, your body starts noticing.

From a young age, get the small things that no-one sees, get those habits in and the rest will come. Because once your playing at a top level, talent and that sort of stuff can only get you so far. Then the hard work and the things that people don’t see, that really makes a difference at the end.

And this is a question I try and ask everyone. Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people may know?

Ok yeah. One thing, I’m very into chick-flicks - romantic comedies. That’s actually something no-one knows about me, I think maybe my brother does. But yeah I’ll open it up now. Romantic comedies. (Laughs)

Thanks JP for your time. I hope pre-season training continues to go well. Reds fans are cheering you on this year.

Thanks mate. Appreciate it. I’ve heard a lot about you. Nice to finally meet you. Brandon said he had an awesome time with you last week. I appreciate the support and thanks for making me feel so welcome!

An Epic Conversation with Wallabies and Reds Legend Mark Loane

Recently, I was lucky enough to catch up with the great Mark Loane. For anyone that had anything to do with Queensland and Australian Rugby in the 70s and 80s, the man known now as Doctor Mark Loane will need no introduction. A legendary player both on and off the field, Mark was captain of a world beating Wallaby side, before retiring and pursuing his second “calling” as an ophthalmologist, an occupation which keeps him exceedingly busy. At the age of 63 and still in the prime of his second career, Mark still loves talking about rugby, even if he is unable to watch every game closely. While we chatted, he shared some highlights from his days playing for Queensland at Ballymore and the professional era of today.

Hello Mark, thank you for making some time for me, it's taken a while and you've been really generous.

Well thanks Tom, I feel badly about that.

I love being a Reds supporter, and watching games at Ballymore, do you get out there very much these days?

Well I don’t get out to Ballymore very much, the games are at the stadium [Suncorp] mostly aren’t they? Well, I enjoyed when it was at Ballymore. And I can remember the almost village-like atmosphere out there. The crowd was very close, so it was a very intimate thing playing there. It was only 10 or 15 meters to the crowd. After the game was finished, everyone milled around downstairs, having light drinks and food and whatever. Frequently there was a whole section of people eating barbeques and eating out of the back of their cars.

It was very much a community like atmosphere back in the 70s at Ballymore. We hadn’t done very well prior to that, and we were on the way up, in terms of provincial rugby.

It was a close-knit community at all levels, the supporters, the players, the dynamics of the whole thing. It was always very pleasant, you felt like you were playing for your village. As the French say, you played to the sound of the bell - the village bells. People’s loyalty existed out to the distance that you heard the bell. So you’d play to the village bell.

What's your most memorable game playing for Queensland?

It must have been around about 1976, it was beating New South Wales 42-4. I’d been reared with this idea that as a Queensland player you had to be twice as good, because the selectors at national level were always against you. I remember going out to see games when I was at University where Queensland had lost by 10, 20, 30, 40 points, and that was expected. We started to turn that around.

I can remember Geoff Shaw, the NSW captain at the time, great friend of mine. He said “this is going to be a cricket score.” It was 4-nil to New South Wales. And that was the end of it. We scored 42 points, to 4. The last two tries were scored from about 35-40 yards out. And when we scored the second one, the crowd kept calling “UP! UP! For the up and under!” It was almost like 100 years of NSW winning was expunged in that one afternoon. You’ll have to get the replay out Tom.

You are referred to as one of the great players, and captains, for Queensland, and the Wallabies, when did you officially stop playing rugby? [6:46]

I finished in 1982. There’s very few things you get right in life in terms of timing. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Maxwell Smart in “Get Smart” [the TV programme], and the doors are closing behind him. I’ve always imagined that life is like that, I call it the Maxwell Smart doors. If you just get it wrong, every door is closed in front of you. And that was one door I got correct. I retired in 82, and I was 28 years of age. I had another year or two in me, but I had enough, I had energy left and I knew I needed to convert that to the next phase of life.

At that stage, I was playing for University, Queensland and Australia and then stopped cold turkey. Gave my boots away, gave any balls I had away, started studying in ’83. That year I had to do this very difficult exam called the first part of ophthalmology which I actually did quite well in. [Points to a certificate in the foyer next to where were sitting]. There it is there, on the far right. I stopped rugby, did the exam, and was fortunate enough to top the country. So ‘82. It was a good time to retire. 

Do you have any great Rugby memories that happened away from the field that you could share?

Yeah, I think there were always interesting things to do. I can remember we played Ireland in, I think, 1982, and we beat them. There was always this idea that rugby touring was about much more than just playing games.

I remember having breakfast on the Sunday after the test match with Greg Cornelsen when our manager Nick came in and said ‘what are you guys up to?’ We said ‘not much’ and he said: ‘come out to the Pale with me’. The Pale is an area around Dublin. We went to this stable, where they had a horse called Habitat, which is one of the most expensive horses in the world, we toured around this paddock looking at these horses and some of them were the most famous stud horses ever. Northern Dancer was there, all the way from Canada. I don’t know if you follow horses Tom. Here’s the thing, “Black Caviar” is the great, great, great grand-daughter of Northern Dancer, this famous horse. So, you were allowed to enter into things like that.

For instance, in 1975-76, we were invited to Buckingham Palace by the Queen, Prince Charles and Princess Anne for a reception there. So, rugby, those days in particular, allowed you entry into things that you couldn’t buy. Particularly with the British Isles tours, 75-76 and 81-82, we used to have what we called the culture club and what we’re do, was if we were in London for example, we’d sit down and go through the newspapers and go through all the cultural events, the ballet, the theatre, the plays, the philharmonic orchestra, whatever you wanted, you’d take the numbers down and then we’d get the tickets for them.

I was in charge of culture for the 81-82 tour. So, when we were say, in Leicester, we’d play a game on the Saturday, travel on the Sunday, train on the Monday, play the following Wednesday, I’d have the bus available to me for the days off. Actually, I remember in Leicester, we visited Bosworth Field, the place where Richard III was killed.

When we toured, you entered into the country, and the people were generous to you.

What are the changes that you've noticed the game has been through since the amateur era, do you think they are better or worse?

I’ve always had a problem with the fact that people appear to be pulled out of their community structure. I always thought that the most you can think about rugby was about 15 hours a week. I worked that out once.

But first of all, you can’t play the game unless you’ve got some talent… you have got some God-given talent. But I don’t know whether you need to be devoting 40 hours a week to it. And they pay them a lot of money, so it’s thought that you should be thinking about the game for 40 hours a week. I would think that they probably should play more games. Whatever you’re doing. If it’s lifting bricks, go and lift a lot of bricks. If it’s playing rugby… why not play some more games. But now, how can you be match fit, with what appears to me to be huge periods of time where people don’t play games.

It used to be only 15 people on the field. I’d like it to go back to that. When we were playing, it was 15, not 22. They only had 2 reserves, and you couldn’t be taken off the field unless a doctor validated it and said that you couldn’t play. So that meant it was a war of attrition, and that meant you could wear people down.

I work a lot in Cape York, and they say amongst the cattle people that it’s a great place to breed cattle, but you can’t fatten them. And I think Queensland, historically has produced a huge number of quality players. We breed them, but it’s hard to hold on to them. They tend to migrate throughout the country, and overseas as well, which wasn’t the case in our time. If you’re asking for differences, you tended to stay in the community where you learnt to play the game. There wasn’t much transitory movement. You tended to stay put. That’s one big thing I think. And the second thing is that you need to devote 40 hours a week to it, instead of 15. And the numbers of players, 15 and not 22.

But anyway… these are theories from old men. (Laughs).

What advice would you give to aspiring rugby players, both girls and boys?

Well I think the girl’s thing’s important. My understanding is that girls Rugby Sevens is the fastest growing sport on earth. Someone told me that. Someone also told me that rugby itself is the fastest growing college sport in the US college structure.

What advice would I give? I think get some talent. You need the gift, and then you need the desire. Some people don’t have the desire. We’ve all known people that were sports people in school or whatever, who should have been an Olympic athlete. And sometimes, the most gifted walk away from the gift.

You can work at certain things, but there is the gift, whether you’re playing tennis, snooker or golf… The second things is desire. I say this to young people all the time, young doctors come to assist me in Cape York, and I say the biggest question to ask yourself is ‘do you want it?’ ‘How committed are you?’

Number one, get the gift, number two, desire, and number three, concentrate for the required period of time. Like all things that are worthwhile, you have to concentrate for the required length of time.

The other thing would be to avoid injury. A lot of people suffer from knee injuries etc.

And probably the most difficult thing would be “divine luck”. I’m not talking about luck in the sense that it’s granted to someone because they “got lucky”. Say if you’re playing in a US Open in golf, and you chip in from 20 meters - at a crucial moment of time, the ball rolls in.

So, there is a bit of divine luck involved in life and sport. They brought this person to Napolean, and they said “he will be an extraordinary general, he’s very, very good”. And Napolean said “yeah, he might be good, but is he lucky?”

You have to have the talent, you have to have the training, you have to have the concentration, you have to have the opportunity, and also a little bit of what I call “divine luck”.

What advice would you give to rugby players in this professional era regarding life after rugby? Also, do you think your rugby career helped you? 14:30

It helped me. And I was still doing things while I played rugby. I was doing a medical degree, and was doing things after medicine, obstetrics and trauma, trying to find my way through what my mature decision would be, regarding whether I was going to specialize. It was possible to live those parallel lives, because there was time made available for it. 

It’s possible to do a couple of things well in life. I’m afraid that the professional attitude from sport almost precludes you from doing something else, particularly skills for later on in life. Sport tends to last from 18 to 28, but life’s much longer than that.

Thanks again Mark for giving us some of your time, I've been looking forward to getting a perspective of a past player and some insight into your experiences!

It’s a pleasure. 

A True Queenslander: A Conversation with Brandon Paenga-Amosa

It’s a new year for the Reds! And what better way to start the year than by getting to know one of the newest players. Brandon received a call-up after two outstanding seasons in the NRC in the New South Wales sides. Even though he is born in New Zealand, Queensland will happily claim him. I hope you enjoy my first interview of the year! You’ll find out, as I did, that he’s a fun, down-to-earth guy.

First of all, welcome to Queensland!

Thank you very much. Thanks Tom.

How are you finding things so far?

Oh bro. I’m loving it aye. Just the weather’s been pretty crazy, but I love it. I’ve got a lot of family up here and the boys here are amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of rugby players to play with. Coming from Sydney, I’ve always had a soft-spot for Queensland. Even during Origin, I’d always go for Queensland. Don’t tell my parents that. [Laughs].

When I got the phone call from Brad, he said “would you like to be a Queenslander”, I said “bro, I’d love to”.

Can you tell Reds fans a little bit about yourself.

You were born in New Zealand. Did you play any rugby at all in that country?

No. So basically I came to Australia before I started primary school. I started playing rugby league down in Sydney, in the Bulldogs comp. Then as a junior, I started playing rugby union, playing Colts from the age of fifteen, for about four years, and then I switched to grade. I’ve been playing South District down in the Shute shield.

From the moment I switched to rugby when I was 15, I just loved it, and I just want to be the best that I can be. Now I’m playing for the Reds, I’m proud of myself, and I can’t wait.

What was it that drew you to play rugby?

Basically, being a kiwi, every young man has aspirations to play for the All Blacks. I did too, even when I was playing League. It wasn’t until I clicked that I can’t play for the All Blacks if I’m playing Rugby League. Then I came to my senses and switched to Rugby when I was fifteen.

And from that moment on, I thought let’s be honest, I’m not going to be an All Black because I’m playing in Australia. Then I thought, yeah I’m gonna be the best player I can, and I’m gonna try and crack the Wallabies. So from that moment on, I was like let’s do this. I wanna be a Wallaby one day. And that’s the dream, to represent the green and gold.

I couldn’t have asked for a better coach too, Brad Thorne. An amazing coach. I look up to him. I used to play X-Box, rugby 2008, he was my favourite player on the game. Now, it’s kind of like a dream come true having his as my coach, to lead me and guide me to be the best player I can be.

Who were your favourite players growing up?

Ok, so Brad Thorne. My top five players were, King Carlos, that’s Carlos Spencer, number ten for the All Blacks. (I can’t wait to meet him at the 10s competition, and say “bro, you are the flippin’ man!") Richie McCaw, he was one of my favourites… Also, I’d say Rodney So’oialo , he was the number eight for the All Blacks from 2002 I think, until 2008. He was a big reason I grew my hair out, because I wanted to mimic him, because I loved his dreadlocks. Also, George Smith, he’s the man aye. He had dreadlocks too… and David Pocock. They were my top five players growing up.

Have you always played Hooker?

When I first started playing rugby, I was actually a “ten” [fly-half] which is pretty funny. But I was a bit too chubby, so I moved to six [blind-side flanker]. I was a six through high school, until year 11, when I switched to seven [open-side flanker], until I was nineteen.

So it wasn’t until I spoke to some of the coaches at the Waratahs, and they said you’re not going to make it as a seven, so you’re going to have to switch to Hooker, or just keep playing park footy as a seven.

So I made that switch, and it got me to where I am today. I wish I’d actually made that switch earlier. A bunch of people down in Sydney used to tell me “you need to switch to hooker”, but I was a bit too stubborn aye. My mindset was that the hooker is the fat guy on the team, the lazy guy.

But yeah, I finally made that switch and I never looked back. Now I’m loving it aye. Scrums are the best part of the game.

What do you enjoy most about living in Queensland so far?

I love the chilled-back lifestyle aye. Like coming from Sydney, Sydney’s full on. Crazy people speeding down the street., a bunch of arrogant drivers. But when you come to Brisbane… I’m the only arrogant driver!

But coming to Brisbane, it’s always beautiful, it’s always sunny, it’s always a happy vibe. Being around the boys, all the boys are always keen to hang out. I’ve got a heap of family around here.

I love the Gold Coast too. It’s one of my favourite spots.

And the question I try and ask everyone... Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people may know?

Ooh ok. I love that. Not many people know this, but I was born on Christmas day. Some people call me black Jesus. Another one is… I love the Disney channel, even to this day. A lot of the time when I turn on the TV, I go straight to the Disney channel. I’m still a kid at heart.

Also… I love playing with toy soldiers, you know the things where your parents stand on them and they get angry, I love playing with those. I’m trying to think of more things aye…

Oh another fun fact is I did two years at bible college, at Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney. I didn’t have enough money to start bible college straight out of school, so I worked as a garbageman for six months. I finished up there, and I started at bible college, studying to be a youth pastor, and a youth leader. Right now I actually do a lot of youth work with Hillsong at the youth groups. Back in Sydney, I always used to go to prisons, and teach Scripture and teach religious classes, I used to do that in schools as well.

That’s what I love doing in my spare time when I’m not here. I love teaching kids about the good news of God, the good news of Jesus Christ. Also, I just love trying to be a good role model as much as I can to those that don’t know the love of Christ, I just try to shine my light as much as I can.

Thanks Brandon for your time. And good luck with the rest of pre-season training.

Thanks Tom. I really appreciate all that you do around here with the boys, all the support that you give. It’s people like you that we play for.

Thank you for being an amazing man. Thank you very much.