'I live for those pressure moments': Why the Wallabies' next No.7 won't stop hunting for the ball

Fri, Sep 4, 2020, 1:43 AM
Christy Doran
by Christy Doran
Fraser McReight says coming up against Michael Hooper has given him the confidence that he belongs in top-flight rugby. Photo: Getty Images
Fraser McReight says coming up against Michael Hooper has given him the confidence that he belongs in top-flight rugby. Photo: Getty Images

It was a month ago that the Reds were left heartbroken as Brumbies utility back Mack Hansen slotted a match-winning penalty after the final siren to sink their domestic rivals 22-20.

After defending for a dozen phases, Junior Wallabies captain and openside flanker Fraser McReight attempted to get on the ball to win another turnover - something he'd done successfully just minutes earlier when it looked like he had won the game for the Reds.

But he ended up being pushed forward cheekily by a Brumby and he was deemed to have his hands in the ruck by the referee.

It was a devastating blow for the Reds and McReight, who had dominated the 10 minutes either side of half time to take the lead over the Brumbies in the nation's capital.

"Thanks for bringing that up, I tried to bury it," McReight responded on The Rugby Nation, after being reminded of the game ahead of their rematch on Saturday evening.

"I was the guy that gave the penalty away, it was gut-wrenching for the whole squad. We went down there to win the game and to lose it after full-time was gut-wrenching. But it wasn't my fault, it was a team collective and there were many opportunities in that game that we could have iced in the last minute or two. It's a team sport, it's never any one person's fault.

"For me, it's my job as a No.7 to try and get the ball in the dying moments and I like to think that I live for those pressure moments.

"The call could have gone either way, but unfortunately it went against us."

On Saturday night he gets the chance to right those wrongs as the Reds host the Brumbies in a top of the table clash ahead of the finals in a week's time.

LISTEN UP: Wallabies playmaker Matt To'omua and Junior Wallabies captain Fraser McReight join The Rugby Nation to talks finals footy, Michael Hooper and the Wallabies under Dave Rennie

While McReight's willingness to get on the ball came back to bite him on that cold winter's night in Canberra last month, it's his sense to get on the ball and to use it in attack that has many excited about his future in Australian rugby.

Pundit Rod Kafer recently called for McReight to be selected ahead of incumbent Wallabies captain Michael Hooper for the upcoming Bledisloe Tests.

As it happens, the talented openside made his starting debut against Hooper in the Reds' seven-year drought breaking win over the Waratahs in Brisbane back in July.

A fortnight ago he showed his all-round potential with a stunning game against the Force on both sides of the ball.

It led to Wallabies coach Dave Rennie "congratulating" McReight for his display against the Force in a recent Zoom catch up after once again featuring in his Players of National Interest list.

He is poised to be included in Rennie's Wallabies squad next month when the New Zealander names his first squad following the Super Rugby AU final.

To catch all the Super Rugby AU action LIVE, purchase a Kayo subscription here.

And while Hooper could stand in the way of him making his Test debut against the All Blacks, McReight says going head to head against the incumbent Wallabies captain has given him the confidence that he's on the right track.

"When I first got the mention that I was going to start against the Tahs and come up against Hoops, it was pretty daunting especially because I didn't really know how my standard of development and my game sense was at and if it was up to the level of Super Rugby," McReight told The Rugby Nation.

"I had had a few minutes off the bench but I had never started and had never gone up against any particular good No.7 like I did against Hoops. So that was definitely something in the back of my mind I was actually really excited for.

"I get to test myself against our best No.7 that Australia has had for a while.

"He's on 99-Test caps. He's not there because he's a slouch. He's there because he's a great player and lucky for me I was able to go toe for toe with him and lucky enough for us we got one over them, and he got one over us at the SCG as well (in August).

"It's definitely something I want to do is play for the Wallabies and going up against him probably motivated me a lot more to do the best and to keep growing and knowing that professional rugby is a long journey.

"If it comes this year that'll be great, if it comes in the next few years so be it." 

It's a mature approach from a man many think will be play a pivotal role in Australian rugby over the next decade.

READ MORE:

KAFER COLUMN: Why Rennie must rip it up and start again for Wallabies Bledisloe success

TEAMS: All the lineups for the final round of Super Rugby AU

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If indeed he gets the call-up in 2020, the Wallabies could well spend the best part of two months abroad in a bubble in New Zealand for The Rugby Championship to forge ahead.

Family and friends watching from the stands?

Not a chance given the borders will remain shut.

Some way to experience your first year of international rugby.

McReight says the experience would be a challenge but one that he would take with both hands.

"I've never been away from my home and my family and my friends for a long expended period of time," he said.

"In today's climate with all the restrictions and what's happening, it's going to be an interesting tour and I don't think anyone's ever been a part of. That's exciting in itself, and if I'm lucky enough to get picked on a Wallabies tour just being surrounded by the Hoopers and Matt Toomua and all these great players and people that I've looked up to for a while, just to be involved and learn off them and get some experience, that would be unreal.

"Of course it's an exciting thing, to represent your country is the thing I want to do the most in this world.

"But it is daunting because you don't know what's going to happen over there.

"International rugby's the highest standard of the game and as a 21-year-old going up against the All Blacks and the big South Africans ,that's something that I haven't put too much thought to, but I think if I got over there and embraced it it's something that I'd love to compete against.

"It's going to be daunting because we have the potential of being away for three months and quarantining heaps and hotels and being in an environment that we haven't really had. "

Listen to the entire chat with Fraser McReight and Rebels playmaker Matt To'omua in this week's The Rugby Nation alongside Nick McArdle and Christy Doran.

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