There is plenty of exciting talent within the Australian clubs ready to step up as we head into the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season. In a new series, Rugby.com.au sits down with some of the players to watch, looking at Reds lock Ryan Smith.
Smith is one of several Reds who have come through the system and traded the tools for the training paddock.
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The 26-year-old was still working as an airconditioning and refrigerator mechanic before rushing to Reds training in 2020 when he got his first taste of Super Rugby action.
Since then, Smith has signed a pair of two-year deals and emerged as a reliable force in the Reds' tight five.
Whilst he still does the odd job here and there for a teammate or friend, the lock is relishing the chance to live out his dream.
“To begin with, I probably never thought I’d make a career out of Rugby," he told Rugby.com.au
“To be signed for two years a few seasons ago and to get another two-year deal, it’s awesome that the club has faith in me to continue on and keep plying my trade. I love being in and playing for Queensland so to get another deal to be at home with family and friends is awesome.
“I’m definitely happier to be on the training paddock than crawling through a couple of those roofs. I love being able to train full-time and put a lot more effort and time into my Rugby. I think that’s helped me a lot around being able to reflect and do a lot more review on my game and preview on teams, especially around the lineouts.”
With every successful lineout and tackle made, it grinds Smith one step closer to his eventual dream of pulling on the gold jersey.
He got a taste of it in Fiji in July's Pacific Nations Cup whilst he got to learn from Wallabies incumbents Cadeyrn Neville and Nick Frost in Japan.
“It wasn’t something I was really expecting,” he said. “I was really enjoying playing my footy for Queensland so it was a massive honour when (Australia A) coach Jason Gilmore gave me to call to come along.
“It was pretty cool. I got to call lineouts in Fiji and to have a fair group of those Wallabies boys drop back for the Japan tour, it was awesome to not only learn from the new coaches but also pick up a lot of things from different guys around the country from the Tahs and Brumbies, it was cool to pick their brain and get a different perspective around set-piece.
“It’s obviously always good to test yourself against the next level, see if you are up for it so I’m always excited to challenge myself…I was definitely excited and enjoyed every minute of it.”
Smith will have to step up in a depleted lock group, with the Brothers product shrugging off a shoulder complaint to be right to go against the Hurricanes on Saturday.
"It’s all sweet, I’m tough," he remarked.
The Hurricanes match is a real litmus test for a Reds' team that struggled against Kiwi opposition, with Brad Thorn's side eager to start their season on a high.
“We were really happy with how we went against the Aussie teams last year but weren’t able to close out a few of those games against the Kiwi teams,” he added.
“We just want to take it one game at a time. We’re just looking at the ‘Canes and we’re really excited because they have some great players so we’re keen to match it with them and see where we can improve in the next couple of games.
“We’re just going out there to play to the standard we hold ourselves to and that’s a big thing for us. We’re trying to keep it all in-house. If another team just happens to beat us and we hit our five points, we have to be happy with that…if we let them win it, that’s a completely different story so we’re trying to do as much as we can to secure some games this year.”
