Easts Rugby Club: Home of the Tigers!

I really enjoyed visiting Easts Rugby Club this week, as a part of my "Club Profile" series. Pat Richards made me feel very welcome and helped organise my visit. (Thanks Pat!) 

As I had expected, it was nice to run into a few familiar faces, including Michael Gunn and Andrew Ready from the Reds.

Watching one of the young teams train.

Pat showed me inside the club-room and I loved hearing him tell stories about the club and share about the Wallabies that have come from Easts. He told me about Paul Mooney, the first Wallaby to come from Easts, who became the brother in law of Keith Wilson, also a Wallaby from the club!

Keith had a son named David, who also went on to become a Wallaby. (The main field is named after him.) Hearing about these great players helped paint a picture of the strong family culture at Easts that still exists today. 

At this point in time, Izack Rodda is an Easts player in the Wallabies squad. Also, Liam Wright has also been called in this week to train with them, to fill gaps left by the Warratahs who are still in the Super Rugby finals.

After games, players will often stick around and have a beer in the club house afterwards.

On display, (but unfortunately not pictured) is Andrew Ready's Barbarians jumper that he donated to the club last year.

It was great to meet the Premier team coach Anthony Connellan, who obviously cares a great deal about his club and his team. He told us about Liam Wright being called in to train with the Wallabies this week, but said he'd been released by Michael Cheika [Wallabies coach], to play in this weekends club game, in response to Anthony's email request.

I enjoyed watching the teams train hard for this weekends game. Before training however, Matt Gordon, Premier team captain, was nice enough to drop in to have a chat.

Fresh Legs and the Road to the Finals - A Conversation with Matt Gordon

Hey Matt, nice to catch up. Thanks for coming in early.

Too easy. It’s alright!

It’s nice to see how everything’s going at Easts.

Yeah everything going really well at Easts this year. We’ve had a couple of years just outside the finals and this year we’ve already got 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade into the finals, which is really positive. It’s something we’ve been trying to do for years now. 

That’s a big plus and there’s a good vibe around the club, which is nice. It makes a difference when you make the finals and when you’re winning games. A massive difference.

I’m glad to hear that you feel the seasons gone well.

Yeah it has. We’ve had a lot of new guys come in. Like Shane over there [points], he’s from Townsville. There was a story on Jack, kicking over there, he started last year in 5th grade. He’s moved up too. So we’ve got a pretty new team. Everything’s come together well. If we win this week, we go into 2nd place. So yeah, really positive. 

What’s the highlight of the season been so far?

I’d have to say, winning on “Ladies day” against Uni [UQ] is always a highlight of the year. But then, last week, beating Wests 67 to 19 was really good. Everyone was having a lot of fun, tries were coming. The other positive that came out of that game was there were a few boys that got to have a run that haven’t played premier grade before.

Were some of the Reds back on your team for that game?

We only had [Andrew] Ready back. Liam Wright’s been called into the Wallabies squad. We don’t have him, which is really disappointing. When he’s come back this year, he’s been awesome. Michael Gunn was away for the weekend, but we’ve got him back this weekend which will be good. It’s good to have Gunny, he’s been injured this year, so it’s good to have him back.

I heard about your injury back in 2015. Was it quite a long process, getting back to where you are now?

Yeah. I think it was in the grand final, I hurt my syndesmosis, which is a pretty common rugby injury. I had that in the grand final. I ended up playing with it in the NRC and that made it really bad, so I had to go and get surgery. Then at the start of last year, I did the exact same injury on the other leg. I think it was poor preparation and stuff. But most of my ankles are working well now. What they do, is because the bones seperate, they put a permanent rope in to tie it down.

What’s your favourite thing about this club?

I think my favourite thing about Easts, would be the fact that you can finish a game, go upstairs and everyone from 6th grade to premier grade gets along like a house on fire. So it’s probably the fact that no-one cares what team you playing for, everyones mates. I think that’s why we’ve got such good culture here. Once you finish a game, everyones playing for the same club. Unfortunately, people that don’t understand that get found out pretty easily.

Everyone gets on well and has a lot of respect for each other. It’s definitely my favourite thing about the club

What inspired you to play rugby, at the very beginning?

I think it would have definitely been my dad - and my whole family, even my grandad has always been into rugby - Mum likes rugby too. Dad coached USQ in Toowoomba. He’s from Armidale [in New South Wales], and he played right through. When I was a baby, he was coaching. I think I used to sit in a backpack, on the sidelines, on his back.

If you go up to the club-house in Toowoomba, alongside all the trophies, there’s a picture of me, as a baby. I think I was always going to play rugby.

Mum and Dad are up here for every game (they live in Toowoomba). It’s a bit of a family thing, which is nice.

How have you found living in Brisbane, and being based at this club?

I really liked it. It’d be hard to move. I suppose, you get the big city life, but you get the country vibe as well. People are friendly here too. And the clubs great. They look after everyone in the best way they can and they’ve always been unbelievable to me. I couldn’t see myself being anywhere else in Brisbane. It’s really enjoyable being here and most people will tell you that. You never hear people that have much to do with Easts saying anything bad about it and you don’t get a lot of people leaving the club either. So it’s nice.

It seems there’s always something exciting going on for rugby fans. Will you be playing in this years NRC?

I’m hoping so. I didn’t even play rugby last year, because of all the injuries. It’ll be hard, but I’m hoping so. I think I’ve had one of my better years. It’s a great competition, especially if you’re a club player. Most young players, even the older boys aspire to do it.

Thanks very much for your time. All the best this weekend and in the finals!

That’s alright. Nice to meet you! Awesome.

If you're interested in finding out more about Easts Rugby Club, check out their website www.eaststigers.com. New members are always welcome. Come and see what club rugby is all about!

Hanging out at Souths Rugby Club: Where Magpies Become Wallabies

This week, I spent some time visiting Souths Rugby Club, based in Annerley. I had a great time meeting some of the players and watching the mens teams train.

Looking at the jersey's on display in the club-room, I got a a sense of the clubs 70 year old history. During that time, the club catch-phrase has rung true, there are a number of club members, or "Magpies", that have turned into Wallabies!

Five players from Souths have captained the Wallabies: Nev Cottrell, David Codey, Andrew Slack, Tim Horan and Jason Little. Other Magpies that have gone on to become Wallabies include: Sam Scott-Young, Michael Foley, Toutai Kefu, Steve Kefu, Saia Fainga'a, Anthony Fainga'a, Beau Robinson, Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi.

During my visit, it was great to catch up with old mate Quade Cooper, and also to meet a number of new players!

Thanks to club manager Nicole and everyone else for making me feel welcome at the club!

It was good to meet a bunch of players from the Reserve Grade team. Good luck tomorrow against Sunnybank!

Loved meeting Wallaby great Toutai Kefu, now an assistant coach at Souths

It's always good seeing this guy!

In particular, it was great to catch up with Premier team captain Declan Dinnen, as well as David Paice and Alex Casey and ask them a few questions!

Thanks for making the time to catch up boys!

How’s the season going for you?

[Declan:] Well Dave’s just come in in the last few weeks. But it’s been going well. We’ve hit a bit of a rough patch recently, but nothing we can’t fix. We’re playing some quality footy, there’s some small things we need to fix up.

We’ve got two more games until the finals.

David: You’ve been playing overseas in England for a long time. How did you arrive at Souths?

I’ve been over in London for the last 15 years. I played my first game last week, the boys have been very welcoming.  I played at Souths until I was an 18 year old, so it’s good to be home. 

I love hearing about people’s rugby journey’s. What inspired you to play rugby originally?

[David:] My Dad was a player himself, he’s from the UK, he came over from Scotland. We moved from Darwin to Brisbane when I was 13, I went to Brisbane State High School, I picked up rugby there. I played in Souths from Under-13s onwards to 17, then moved to the UK and kept playing. It’s been a good journey!

[Declan:] My old man played here at Souths. When I was 5, my Dad took me to Souths Juniors and I’ve played here ever since. I used to help out with the Premier team back when I was young, I used to help run water and stuff. I just stuck around ever since and here I am 20 years later, still playing.

What’s one or two things you love in particular about this club?

[David:] A great bunch of guys, from when I was 16-17, there’s still a core group of guys that are playing. Eli the head coach, I went to school with him, and there’s a few other guys playing 5th grade that I went to school with. Yeah, people come and they stick around, which means the club’s  got something going for it.

[Declan:] Similar to what Dave said, there’s a core group of guys here. When I was 18 coming in to the senior club they were very welcoming. There’s a core group, some people come and go, but everyones been welcomed in, whether they stay or go, there’s a good community feeling here.

What’s a highlight of your rugby journey so far?

[David:] Playing in the UK front of some big crowds, some big games… the Heineken Cup, I remember playing against Toulouse was probably one of my favourites.

[Declan:] Not on the same scale as that, but 2015 was pretty special, I was new coming into the Premier Grade and was on the bench, but we went through and won the Premiership against all odds. It was great to be a part of it at the time.

[Alex:] I sound like a broken record, but what these two said pretty much. Loyalty’s a big one for Souths, as you mentioned, a core bunch of players that are still here… and then you see people coming to the club from other clubs, I think that speaks volumes about the club and the culture we have. We don’t have much, but what we have is pretty inviting to others.

Thanks boys for taking the time to chat! Looking forward to following the rest of the season!

Where ever you live in Queensland, why not head out and support your local club this weekend?

Chatting with Up-and-Comer Jordan Petaia

This week after the Reds captains run, I had a good chat with Jordan Pataia. At 18 years old, he is the youngest player in the Reds and also, someone who claimed a record, as the youngest player to make his Super Rugby debut!

Especially after travelling to France with the Australian Under-20s, you can definitely say it’s been a stellar year for him!

Thanks Jordan for your time today and good luck to you and the team this week against the Sunwolves!

Hey Jordan, Nice to catch up like this. 2018 has been a big year for you. Can tell me one or two highlights from the year so far?

Yeah, 2018’s been a very unexpected year. A lot of great outcomes for me, I’m really blessed. One of the major things that’s come out of 2018 is obviously playing Super Rugby, I’ve enjoyed that a lot, it’s been a great opportunity. And also the travel, travelling to Europe [with the Australian Under-20s] and Japan [with the Reds]. They’re both really pretty, really lovely places to visit.

Well done to you and the team last week, beating the Rebels. What did you enjoy about last weeks game and what are you looking forward to the most about playing the Sunwolves on Friday?

I enjoyed getting the W last week and this week I’m looking forward to trying to beat these guys that really smashed us over in Tokyo. That was pretty unfortunate, but we get the opportunity to try and hit back and try and beat them. I’m looking forward to trying to do that with the boys.

It's been a big year for you with the Reds. What's something you think you've done well, which has helped you make the starting squad so quickly?

Um, probably listening to the older boys, taking their advice. Just following, doing what I’m told, and learning and picking up new things every week. They’ve really helped me, which has made the transition from school a whole lot easier. The work ethic that they’ve shown me has probably rubbed off and helped me as a player.

Over in the Under-20s World Cup in France, you were joined by Harry, Angus, Hamish, Tait and some other Queenslanders. Was it good having some of your team-mates from here with you?

Yeah. It was good having those boys over there. I came over late, but it was good to have some familiar faces over there. I also knew a lot of the other Under-20s boys too.

On the field, it also helped knowing each other. It was good to have them there, spitting jokes every now and then, keeping the banter alive.

I'd love to talk about Club rugby for a moment! I recently did a profile on your club, the West Bulldogs! Have you always been with Wests?

No, I used to play league when I was little. I never really played club rugby through high school, I played a little under-16 comp for Souths in year 11, but that’s the most I’ve played club rugby. This year is my first experience playing club rugby with Wests. I haven’t played much, but it’s been enjoyable. I’m looking forward to re-joining the boys again soon.

What's something you love about the club?

I love the culture. The boys love each other, so that’s always good. Pretty nice facilities. They’ve been rebuilt recently. When I’ve been there, it’s been a really good culture there.

What's your favourite thing about Rugby? And also, what age did you start playing?

The thing I love most about rugby is probably the battle on the field. The competitiveness, just trying to beat the opposition. I started playing rugby I was 13, when I started high school. But I started playing league when I was around 8.

Who were your Rugby heroes growing up?

Growing up, I watched a lot of league. It’s funny, because I looked up to Israel Folau as a league-ey, especially being from around Queensland.

I used to watch him every week and every year for State of Origin. When he transitioned to Rugby Union, I started to like Union a whole lot more.

And also, a question I like to ask is: what is something about yourself that not many people know?

I’m into computer games a lot. That’s something I enjoy doing, off the field.

Thanks Jordan for your time. Best of luck against the Sunwolves tomorrow night! I’ll be there cheering you on.

Cheers Tommy!

A Conversation with Wallaby Great George Smith

For rugby fans, the Reds player I interviewed today doesn’t really need an introduction. A Wallaby and Super Rugby veteran, (111 and 157 games respectively), the Reds describe Smith as a bit like fine wine that is “only getting better with age.”

Queensland have benefited from his experience over the past two seasons. Thanks George for your time this week. We are hoping you get back to 100% for the final game of the season next week!

Hi George, thanks for making the time to catch up. I know it’s getting to the end of the season, but I've been looking forward to it.

How’s your health at the moment?

As of today, it’s not great. I’m pretty healthy and fit overall, but I injured myself in the game against the Auckland Blues. It hasn’t come back 100% for me to be able to play this weekend. I’d love to be able to play, but unfortunately injuries happen.

What have you enjoyed the most about playing for the Reds and being based at Ballymore?

It was great to get the opportunity to play with the Reds. I’ve had a long history with the ACT Brumbies and now the past 2 seasons I’ve had here, I’ve really enjoyed being with the players, the staff and the people in the organisation. It’s been great to see the fans who do come out and support us and the future Queensland Reds players. 

I think the friendships are the big thing that you develop when you’re playing rugby. There’s a lot of talented players here, but also good human beings.

You must have been pleased with the match against the Lions, making your first starting appearance this year. How did it feel playing that game, coming back from injury?

Yeah, it was great to come back and start that game. It was a big game for us, because we’d just lost the previous week against the Waikato Chiefs. And you know, the determination that the guys showed, particularly by scoring some tries against the run of play was fantastic. We’ve showed glimpses throughout the year of what the Queensland Reds can do.

In that game, we definitely played well - against the team that was the finalist last year and one of the form teams of the last few seasons. To play against them and win was fantastic. It was nice to see the Reds fans walk out happy, I was pretty pleased.

You have played against all sorts of teams, all over the world in both Test and Super Rugby. Do you have a game or a moment that you would consider your most memorable?

I think those milestones throughout your career… your 1st, your 50th, your 100th are always special - for State and territory teams too. Winning the Bledisloe Cup was special… it’s been more than a decade since the Wallabies have won the Blesdisloe, so it was great to be a part of that squad. The semi-final win against the All Blacks in 2003 was fantastic. There’s all sorts of games I’ve enjoyed over the years.

How do you think the Reds have improved this season?

New systems and new ways of thinking always bring challenges. Last season, we had Nick Stiles here, I thought he was very good with what he did. This year we have Brad Thorne and there’s been changes there. We’ve had a lot of players who have debuted this season. Allowing them to gain experience in Super Rugby, it’s always a learning curve for them. At the same time, we’ve had glimpses of good play this year. It’s about building on that and being consistent.

What do you enjoy most about living in Brisbane, it must be a bit of a change to Japan?

I enjoy the weather, although it can be very hot in summer. I like my winter here, because it’s not too hot. I like the people here too. It’s a slower pace of life compared to what I was used to in Sydney, although I’ve been away from Sydney for 10 years now. Living in different cities has been good. It’s been different to Tokyo. There’s neon lights there everywhere, a hell of a lot of people, and I find Brisbane’s a very relaxed lifestyle.

What else have you been up to, in your spare time besides rugby?

I have 4 children who keep me quite busy. I’m enjoying watching my children play rugby, for the North Side Rebels, so that’s been fun.

There are business interests up here as well, I have a kids play-centre up in Northlakes, which is a booming area. I enjoy engagement with the community there and hopefully providing a play-center that they enjoy as well.

What's one piece of advice you would share with up-and-coming rugby players?

I think up-and-coming rugby players can get too focused on what their goal is and forget to enjoy themselves. Enjoying your rugby allows you to look forward to playing over the weekend and training throughout the week - the anticipation of the game.

Don’t lose that fun and the happy experience that comes with playing what is sometimes a serious sport.

Thank you very much for your time. Wishing you a speedy recovery this week as well!

Look that’s the plan. I want to be a part of that last game with the Reds [at Suncorp Stadium against the Sunwolves], so hopefully I get the opportunity to play.

Tom, thank you very much. Good to get the interview in!

West's Bulldogs Rugby Club: A Toowong Community Hotspot!

This week, I was lucky to be able to visit and profile the West's Bulldogs Rugby Club!! As well as looking around the club-house, I was able to watch the teams train and interview a couple of key players. Thanks to Felicity for organising the visit and everyone at the club for the warm welcome! It was great being able to interview the mens and women's team captains Jeremiah Lynch and Wallaroo Liz Patu (see below).

In March 2017, a new 13 million dollar facility became the new home of the club. The building contains office space for the club, a great new cafeteria/meeting area and a gym for club members, although the building is also shared by several businesses/community groups. Now also onsite is a fantastic commercial gym called "BodyTrack: Exercise Physiology" that caters not just to sports-people, but other groups, including busy professionals and elderly people as well! The new club-house is also home to "X-Radioology": an X-ray and Physiotherapy center that runs throughout the week and also takes care of injured players during Suncorp Rugby games that need X-rays.

Hanging out with some of the young Colt (U20) players and Pete, the amazing bar and cafetaria manager.

Wests has had a great culture and history since it started in 1951, in it's original home of Spring Hill. The club relocated to it's new location in Toowong (affectionately named "The Kennel") in 1973. The club has produced many Wallabies and Wallaroos! Current Reds include Queensland captain Scott Higgenbotham, Moses Sorovi, Filipo Daugunu, Lachlan Maranta and Jordan Paetea. Women's Queensland reps include Liz Patu, Lucy Lockhart, Wynono Baice, Ashlee Knight, Sarah Riordan and Bree-Anna Cheetham.

It was good watching the teams train, including the Women's XV and the Colts.

It was good to run into this stranger at the Club-house! (Queensland Red: Moses Sorovi)

Thanks Felicity and everyone at West's for the team jersey and cap!!

Captains Run: A Conversation with Jeremiah Lynch

I was lucky to be able to interview Men's Premier team Captain, Jerry Lynch. I enjoyed hearing about his own rugby journey as well as what he loves about Wests!

Hey Jerry, Thanks for making the time to catch up today! How did training go tonight?

Mate, it was good. We trained well tonight. We came off a tough loss last week, so the boys really came together tonight and I know they’re looking forward to the game over the weekend.

We’re playing Sunnybank this weekend, so we’ve got to get them back from last time. We played them in game two at the start of the year and they got the better of us. They beat us in the semi-final last year as well, so we’ve got to get back at them.  [Update: Wests did get one back at them, beating Sunnybank 55-24 on Saturday.]

How do you feel your team is going coming into Round 11 of the Premiership competition?

We’ve had a few tight losses and that has probably cost us a bit this season and where we are on the ladder. We’ve come close, and I suppose we’re in the games, but we just don’t know how to finish it. We’ve been ebbing and flowing a bit. 20 minutes on, then we sort of die for a bit, then come back. So maintaining the consistency is the thing. Training was good this week, if we play to our strengths and hold on to the ball, it should go well. I’m pretty confident.

Jerry all smiles about his team's prospects this year.

What are some of your favourite thing about playing for Wests?

There’s a lot of things! The cultures great. I’ve been here since 2012 when I moved to Brissy. There’s a real family atmosphere and they’re always willing to help you out.

It’s very welcoming. When my parents come up, people always make them feel welcome and always get to know them, same with my girlfriend when she's here. Good people, a good place to play. Flick (Felicity) is a good example of a good person around here.

This clubhouse is pretty amazing. How has the new facility affected the club?

Mate, the clubhouse is unreal! It’s a bit different to what used to be here a couple of years ago. It went from being a little set-up in the back corner to a massive building the length of the football field. There’s a cafe out the front now, cooking facilities in the club-house and we’ve got a new gym now too. It’s brought a lot of attention to the club in which is great. A lot of people have come back that played here years and years ago.

X-Radiology is upstairs, with the radiology and physio and everything all in one spot. There’s a bloke who runs this gym here, [BodyTrack] Exercise Physiology, he also runs the strength and conditioning for the Colts, so there’s a good bond there. The cafe’s moved up here from up the road as well, so it’s all come together really well. It’s good that we have a relationship with the RSL upstairs, so it works well.

I love hearing about people's personal Rugby journeys. What inspired you to play the game?

I came from Rockhampton originally, up there it’s mainly Rugby League. I spent most of my time groing up playing League,and only played a little bit of Ruby Union here and there, probably since I was nine. But Mums side of the family played a fair bit of Rugby in Brisbane, so when I moved here, I thought I’d give that a go and it worked out well. I came to Wests and loved it here. I decided to stay and wouldn’t change a thing! I got pretty lucky there.

How did you end up playing for Wests?

I came to UQ and was staying on campus there and a family friend knew Phil Mooney who was coaching at the time. He must have said if you know anyone coming to town from the bush, or from out of town that’s keen to play rugby, come to Wests. I was trying to decide between UQ and Wests and a few people from Rocky also played at Wests. So it was an easy choice and probably the best choice I made.

What's the highlight of your rugby journey been so far?

Hmmm there’s a couple of things. Playing for the Colts was a good development for me. The level of rugby down here was a lot higher than I was used to. So I spent a lot of time learning and trying to get close to the level that the other boys were at. I spent a bit of time pretty lost, getting around the paddock and trying to read the game. Then I began to play Premier grade the year after, which was good.

The next thing was coming back from injury - a couple of years ago I broke my ankle. I was out for about nine months and the next year was a bit slow, then finally the year after I got all my confidence back. So getting back to where I was before after an injury was pretty big for me too.

Thanks for your time and for having me at your club Jerry!

No worries. Thanks for taking time out of your day to come and speak to us down at Wests! It’s great to meet ya.

All the best to you and your team with the rest of the season.

Thanks a lot mate! Appreciate your time.

Down at Reds training a few weeks earlier. Amos (a Bulldogs player himself) carried
the ball on for the Reds at Suncorp the following weekend. Scott Higgenbotham,
a Wests Bulldogs loyalist, made him feel very welcome.

From Wests to Wallaroo: Catching up with Liz Patu

It's cool to finally catch up! How was the transition from Super W to Women's Club rugby?

It was totally different! The different type of level of skills we had to play with. Obviously with the Queensland girls we had a bit more structure and stuff. You come to club level, you try and get the girls up to standard. Especially with new girls who have never played before, who have never touched a rugby ball before, so it was really good to transition into club rugby.

I'm enjoying being here. This really is a great club in Brisbane. What do you love about this club?

The thing I love about this club is the culture and the people that come around to support us as well. We have supporters come every Saturday. So the people and the culture.

How are you finding the new club-house, and what influence has it had on the team?

Liz pictured here with all the other Wallabies and Wallaroos that have come
from Wests. (Notice Scott Higgenbotham right next to me.)

It’s a massive thing for us as well. The the facility is much better, even though I do miss the old clubhouse... the noise and the character of it.

How do you feel your teams season has gone so far?

They’re progressing. Especially with a lot of newbies.  Lot of people that have never played before 

I know this is about Wests... but I have to say congrats on making the Wallaroos again this year!

Thanks!

What was it like playing for the Wallaroos last year? (And would you say it was the highlight of your career?)

Yes, it was the highlight of my career. I never took rugby seriously until 2013, when Felicity decided that I could be going to the next level. It was definitely the highlight of my rugby career.

You've played in a number of positions. What's your favourite to play in?

My favourite position is number 8. I get to run the ball more, especially in the back of the scrum.

How did you end up playing rugby to begin with? And have you always played for Wests?

Enjoying a laugh in the Club-House Cafe.

A best friend of mine introduced me to rugby here. I’m originally from Samoa and I moved here to Brisbane in 2004 (at age 13). In high school, I did a bit of school girls, but it wasn’t a big thing for us. I did a bit of TAFE and then I decided to get back into rugby, so my best friend dragged me here. And yes, I’ve always played for West’s.

If there is someone reading this that is thinking of playing rugby for Wests, what would you say to them?

Look, have a go. Come down to West’s. And if you’re a male and want to get into the Premier side, they train Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Or even come down and have a look on Saturday games... have a go, you never know what will happen.

That's cool! Thanks heaps for your time Liz. Nice to catch up.

Yeah, I do appreciate the time. Thank you!

Good luck to you and the Wests girls this season!

Thank you! I’ll be sure to let them know.

Go Club Rugby! Go Wests!

A Ballymore Reunion: Catching up with Ben Lucas

The versatile Ben Lucas needs no introduction to the long-time Reds supporters. A member of the 2011 champion squad, Ben has recently spent several years playing overseas, but I am extremely happy he's back in the Reds for 2018!

I'm also glad he was able to sit down and answer some questions about his career, his rugby playing family and other things. Hope you enjoy.

(By the way... good luck to Ben and all of the players against the Waratahs this weekend! I'll be there supporting!)

First of all, congratulations on your homecoming. I’m really glad you’ve been back with the Reds this season.

Thank you! Yeah, it’s been really exciting to be back with the Reds. Not just for my footy, but for my family as well. I’ve just had twin boys. They were born in Japan, in July last year. It’s been good coming back home and being back with family. Obviously the Reds have been really good for me. Familiar faces, but also a lot of new faces and the mood with the boys has just been tremendous. The back half of the year, we haven’t got as many wins we’ve probably been a bit unlucky in a few places but the boys are still young and the feeling amongst the group has been really good for me.

Maybe you’ve answered it, but my next question was going to be this: What was it that specifically inspired you to come back for the 2018 season?

Um I wouldn’t say it was the birth of my boys, but definitely it helped having family around. I didn’t feel like I left the Reds in 2014 the way I wanted to. I still felt I had more to offer this place and the team, so that was a big part of me coming, being in a group where I felt like I could contribute and really feel a part of.

What’s been the greatest thing about being back at Ballymore this year?

It’s like home. When I was a young kid, this is where the Reds played. It’s still my favourite place to play at. So to get to train here is pretty special… Obviously, there’s a few changes. Back when I left, we were doing gym over here, they had a newly constructed gym over here, but Thorny likes the old-school feel a bit better, so we’ve gone back to the old tin shed. There’s a lot of memories there for me because my first training programs were here!

What did you enjoy most about your time playing rugby both in France and Japan?

I guess meeting new people. Here, you know your guys, here and in the other Aussie teams. But when you go overseas, you’re all in the same boat together… You’re away from home, you’re looking for people to make you more comfortable and you need that support network. You get to meet some great people that you wouldn’t have met normally and make life-long friends. Rugby in general is great for meeting people and developing life-long mate-ship is really good, that’s something that I really enjoyed.

You learn different ways to play rugby too. Over in France, they’re very “set-piece” orientated, you know the forwards are very big and strong, scrums are a huge emphasis as well. Weather- wise, you learn to play in different conditions. When the weathers not good, you can’t play the way you’d sometimes like to, you’ve got to manage the game in other ways. That’s something I picked up over there.

Are there any other ways that playing for other clubs in other countries has helped your game specifically?

I guess kicking, that’s a big one. Being a goal kicker, I had a couple of good years over in France, I kicked at 85 percent one year and 82 the next and that’s something you need to work on. They put a lot of work into their kicking and not just goal-kicking, but general kicking. That was something I enjoyed, working with guys who had different perspectives and techniques for learning.

You come from a family of rugby players. How does it feel watching all of your brothers grow up playing rugby?

Just proud. As much as we’re all competitive, we love seeing each other do well. From backyard footy… (laughs) every day, we we’d come home from school, take the school clothes off, wack the civies on and just play in the front yard… we’d turn the sprinkler so we could pretend it’s raining. So to come from that and to see my brothers grow… I’m the oldest, so I feel a lot of pride in showing them how I’ve done it and they can learn from my mistakes, but they also make their own path, their own careers and make their own decisions. So it’s good to watch them grow, as rugby players, but also as humans.

As you know, I recently did a profile on your club, Sunnybank! What are a few things that make Sunnybank a great club to play for?

Obviously, I’m a very loyal guy, I’ve always played and loved being there! There’s a lot of guys that have played together right through juniors, there’s a big culture of that at Sunnybank. They’ve always had a culture of being very tight-knit. Beyond the football field, we’re very close friends. They’ve been very good to me in terms of things like organising uni along the way as well. I think Sunnybank is sometimes misunderstood, because we do have a lot of islander players down there, but we’re all very close. You go there and you can sit down and have a chat with anyone. It’s a very family friendly club and that’s something that’s always appealed to me about Sunnybank.

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

I think, if it’s really what you want to do, it’s like anything, you’ve got to work hard. There’s gonna be good times and not so good times, but it’s all about keeping a positive mindset and understanding where you want to go and what your aspirations are. If it is to play for Queensland, I would say - hard work is something in common with any profession. Anyone that does well has got a good work ethic. You’re giving yourself the best chance to follow your dreams. And especially as young kid, I really wanted to play rugby, I really loved rugby and I worked hard. There were times when all my friends would be going out and having drinks and doing all that stuff and I couldn’t because I had training the next morning and whatever. There were sacrifices, but it was all worth it for me, I was willing to work hard to get where I wanted to get to.

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

Hmmm… that’s a tricky one Tommy… Not a lot of people outside my close friend-ship network would know that I really love food - I consider myself a bit of a foody. I love to cook, I love to go to nice restaurants and try new food. I love to try new things that I’ve seen somewhere and try to cook it myself, that sort of thing!

Thank you very much for your time.

My pleasure Tommy.

Best of luck for the game this Saturday!

We’ll need you cheering loud mate! We’re coming home. I think they want to get a big crowd this week, so hopefully we can get the loyal fans out and give them a shake-down.