Earlier this year, during a Reds pre-season game in Dalby, I bumped into the charismatic commentator/rugby media man himself, Jaybor Staunton. It’s obvious that he lives and breathes rugby, so while he was ducking around interviewing fans and capturing photos, we spoke about doing an interview here at some point. Now is that time! Last week, we caught up about his journey in the world of rugby, his thoughts on Super Rugby so far and his predictions for this years Premier grade competition. Also, given his recent online announcement*, I asked him what he would do as CEO of Rugby Australia. His answer bodes well for Reds fans.
On top of that, he is the first ever Reds Rugby Rules interviewee to take part in a costume change during our interview! Part way through catching up, he walked off and came back wearing a Reds Mango Valley shirt (which looked pretty good, I have to admit.)
If you're a rugby fan, I am sure you'll enjoy reading our chat!
How has iso been treating you?
It’s been treating me really well. I’ve actually gained a few kilos, so the whole lockdown things has worked out really well for me. As for my match fitness, it's probably not the best, but other than that, I’m healthy and everyone I know is the same, so I can’t complain.
How did you get into media and in particular, rugby media?
So, about 4-5 years ago, with the Queensland Premier rugby livestream that they do, they used to have the main caller who would call every game and every team that was hosting at the home ground, they would get a local person from that club to commentate. I did a couple of them in 2016 and the next year I did the first round of the season. Then I spoke to Brendan Sauce Hertel from the QRU and I said “mate, I’d love to do anything I can”. And he said “yeah, fantastic.” So I started doing every game that year as the cover commentator and then it’s gone onwards and upwards from there. We’ve done the big wig show, the break down, the club-rugby collective podcast with Sauce, I’ve obviously got my own podcast. So it started out commentating, I think it was West vs Norths, then Wests vs Jeeps and it’s just gone onwards and upwards from there and it’s ballooned into everything that I do now.
What would you do as CEO of Rugby Australia? How many free drinks can you offer Reds fans at games?
(Laughs). I think that’s the first thing right there - I would offer Reds fans a free drink at every game, it’s quite simple really. But seriously, in regards to.. if I could be Rugby CEO of Australia… I think they’re on the right track at the moment. The idea is that a lot of the money comes from the Wallabies, so we need to see them succeed, but it doesn’t just start at the top, it starts at the grassroots. You know, Hamish McClennan has come out and said we’ve got to ring-fence the Wallabies and the club game, because they’re the two games that thrive, be it financially, or just through the tribalism and the parochialism of all the supporters. We’ve said it enough, every dick and his dog has said it, but we’ve got to invest in grassroots. Now, with the perceived lack of investment over the last 10-15-20 years, you can go down to Jeeps rugby club on a Saturday afternoon and they can have close to 10,000 people there. You go out to Goondiwindi Emus for their ladies day and they have 1,500 people. There is a latent supporter network, there is a rusted on rugby fan everywhere in Australia, that just had very little support, understandably over the last decade or so, but they are there. So if we can get out there, if we can engage them and we get that grassroots firing, as they say, “as you show, so shall you reap”, in 5-10-15 years time, the investment we put into grassroots now will be baring some brilliant fruit.
How much have you been enjoying Super Rugby 2.0? The Reds have been playing well I think!
Oh, 100%, the Reds have been fantastic! This is exactly what they showed promise of over the last few years. It seems like Covid has actually been a good thing for Queensland rugby, by way of, the Reds. The one thing that everybody has said over the last few years under Brad Thorne, is there’s this ticker, this culture that seems to be there and I think that’s evident in players like Tate McDermott, Fraser Wilson, Harry Wilson, they’re all young kids that for the last few years were only coming through the system but were signing 3-4 year contracts. There was a belief in them and they wanted to play for Queensland and that ticker has been there. So during this trying time over the better part of the last 6 months, this culture has just strengthened. And they’ve come out of lockdown into Super Rugby AU and I agree with you Tom, they have been absolutely fantastic, they’ve played a brilliant brand of footy, they’ve got these young kids that are showing this potential and they’ve got some older heads like James O’Connor and co that are really steering them down the part. So mate, the Reds are absolutely killing it and I love it and as a result, obviously I love Super Rugby AU, it’s been absolutely awesome to see, especially with the Western Force coming back as well, that’s absolutely fantastic.
What’s been your rugby highlight out of all of the games this season?
Woah. That is a hell of a question Tom. What has been the rugby highlight out of all of the games this season. Probably beating the Waratahs for the first time in seven years, that was absolutely awesome. But in all honesty, it’s tough to pinpoint just one thing. Just the fact that we’re back playing footy is awesome. It’s great to get out at Suncorp stadium, it’s great to see, as I said the Western Force coming through, it’s great to see the youngsters playing. So, look, if you just have to pinpoint one thing, smashing the Tah’s was awesome.
Who are one or two players that you have your eye on, in particular at the moment?
Um - look, it’s hard to go past Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight. In a Reds side that has several superstar youngsters coming through, you’d have to say that they are the most genuine, legitimate players themselves. Look, they are future long-term Wallabies and sooner rather than later.
Also, two players that - unless you follow the club system here in Australia, outside of Super Rugby - you might not know too much about are Hunter Paisami and Jock Cambell, outside of what they’ve done for the Reds. But Jock Cambell is a superstar. He was the best player in the Queensland Premier rugby competition for the best part of three or four years. He came from 2nd fifteen at TSS, into the Colts One program at UQ, went through Premier Colts program, then went into Reserve Grade, then to Premier grade, then to NRC, then to Super Rugby, he went into that seven year journey that really creates top-class, genuine Super Rugby players. And I think over the last few weeks where he’s had plenty of time at fullback where he’s at his best, he’s really starting to find his best and he will be a Wallaby soon. And Hunter Paisami, he’s a Melbourne kid, got into a bit of trouble after the NRC, he came up from Melbourne last year and went to Wests Rugby club and he played the house down, in a Wests backline that was absolutely killing. So he’s gone the difficult route as well and again… this Wallabies squad is going to feature all four of those guys I think. I know that’s more than two, but I wanted to shed a little bit of light on everyone.
I’m guessing you grew up playing rugby? If so, what inspired you to play?
So, I grew up in Logan, about 30 k’s south of Brisbane city, playing for the same club that Brando Va’aulu are from… my older brother was running around under-6s and I was a four year old, a crazy little kid. I don’t think four year olds were allowed to play, but ever since then, I’ve absolutely loved it. I think, my uncles all played top grade footy for UQ and the Reds and so on, so it was somewhat in my pedigree, but like I said I was running around as an excitable four year old. I’m about to play my first game in 2 years, in about 8 hours and I’ve got the same level of excitement now that I had as a four year old. It’s too bloody hard to stay away.
Club rugby is off the ground! How are you going to be involved this year? I had heard a rumour you might be making an appearance on the field once again.
(Laughs) You heard correct, that is true, I am a trundle tonight as I just said. But my involvement with club rugby goes outside of the white line as well. Obviously, I commentate Premier rugby, the live stream every week, the match of the round, I’m the play-by-play caller for that, I also do, as I said the “Club Rugby Collective podcast” and then on top of that I’ve got my own rugby podcast called “Pillar to Post”, where myself, big fat Darcy’s, Hamish and Connor from UQ and my good friend Chips Blanch all get together every week and we preview all the Super Rugby
Who’s your pick to take out the Premiership?
They had their first round of matches last weekend... but I think the top three teams are going to be UQ, Jeeps and Easts Tigers. One of them will come away with the Hospital Challenge Cup. And then for that forth place, it’s Brother rugby club to lose, but I think West’s and Bonds are going to be nipping on their heals a hell of a lot. BUT... I think I’m going to put my hat in the ring and say the Easts Tigers are gonna come away with it this year. The’ve recruited about eight top class footy players, they’ve got former Wallaby captain Ben Mowen playing at number eight... half of their best players have come back from overseas, so that have a red hot chance of winning it this year.
Thanks Jabor for taking time out today. All the best with your run-on tonight!
(Laugh.) Wonderful. Thanks very much Tom, it was my privilege. It was great to see you again mate.
*made via Instagram
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