'She'd be a full-on month': NZ recruit's Wallaby roots
The loosehead prop signed with the Queensland Reds from the Chiefs late last year and has joined them this week, fresh off a third straight Super Rugby grand final defeat.
He is available for Wednesday's clash with the Lions at Suncorp Stadium.
The Reds are set to field a side brimming with a long list of Wallabies hopefuls that now includes their Kiwi recruit.
Born in Gosford, Ross moved with his New Zealand parents to Tauranga when he was eight and played his lone All Blacks Test on July 9, 2022.
A three-year gap between Tests is World Rugby's requirement before a player can switch allegiances.
It means Ross will be free to play for Australia in two weeks, days after next Sunday's clash with Fiji but in time for the Wallabies' first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane on July 19.
An immediate call-up appears unlikely given Schmidt's preference for cohesion, but with 15 Tests to play this year and injuries inevitable, the 29-year-old comes into contention.
"It'd be awesome," Ross said of joining Reds teammate Alex Hodgman and becoming the fifth man to play Tests for both countries.
"I was born here and I've got plans ... to set up a life here with my family post-rugby.
"There's been no chat there (with Schmidt), no comms.
"I've just been doing my thing and if the opportunity arises then so be it.
"She'd be a pretty full-on month, eh."
Ross came off the bench and played most of the second half of the Chiefs' 16-12 final loss to the Crusaders.
In 2017 he featured in the New Zealand Barbarians' 13-7 loss to the touring Lions, then fronted up again for the Chiefs in a 34-6 loss two weeks later.
"I remember packing down against (former England prop) Joe Marler ... the chat on him, it was outrageous," Ross said.
"With the Baa-Baas, it was just a whole lot of lads getting together and trying to do something pretty awesome. .. we got pretty close. It was an awesome week.
"Hopefully I get another crack at them again next Wednesday."
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Perth Now
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The Advertiser
8 hours ago
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Under-fire Wallabies dismiss 'ridiculous' criticism
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Potter said the Wallabies had no need to address the do-or-die nature of the second Test, as they seek to emulate the 2001 Australian side that recovered from 1-0 down to claim a famous 2-1 series win against the Lions. "Everyone's on the same page; you know you have to win this game to keep the series alive," Potter said. "Emotionally it's very simple this week and we all know the task at hand, so I don't think anyone's got any questions about what's at stake." Potter, who will head from Western Force to the NSW Waratahs in the next Super Rugby season, endured a frustrating night on a personal level in Brisbane. And former Wallabies captain, Michael Hooper, this week suggested Hunter Paisami be injected into the centres for the Melbourne Test, a move that would shift Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to the wing and bump Potter out of the side. The London-born 27-year-old lived a period of his youth in Melbourne and said it would be a dream to play at the MCG. "It's a mecca of sport, this place, in my eyes," Potter said. "If I can be out here on Saturday night against the British and Irish Lions, it would be a pretty special place to play the game." Potter was in the crowd the last time the Wallabies hosted the Lions in Melbourne, in 2013. Wallabies winger Harry Potter has rubbished Clive Woodward's suggestion there is a "losing mentality" in Australian rugby ahead of the do-or-die second Test against the Lions in Melbourne. England's World Cup-winning coach Woodward criticised the Wallabies after captain Harry Wilson's decision to kick the ball out to end the first Test in Brisbane rather than chase another try. It might have come as some relief to Wallabies fans that their underdogs weren't mauled by the Lions in the series-opening 27-19 defeat. But Potter on Wednesday said Joe Schmidt's men aren't content with simply competing with the Lions. "It's pretty ridiculous to suggest that the 23 people who played on the weekend have a mentality of losing," Potter said at the MCG, which will host the second Test on Saturday night. "We went out there to win the game, and we didn't win the game. "But it was our intention very much and you could tell from every player in the team we wanted to win that game." He said it had been tough looking back at the first Test, in which the Wallabies were out-muscled by the tourists and trailed 24-5 after 42 minutes. Two late tries added some respectability to the scoreboard and gave the Wallabies belief they can turn the tables in Melbourne, with Potter urging his team to heed the lessons learnt. They could also take pointers from the aggressive performance of the First Nations and Pasifika team, which ruffled the Lions' feathers in a narrow 24-19 defeat on Tuesday night. "It felt like we didn't put our best foot forward, particularly in the first 50 or 60 minutes," Potter said of the Wallabies' first Test showing. "There were a lot of lessons to take out of that one. "They're an incredibly strong team and we know that we've got to come out better and start the game stronger. "But I suppose there were some positive signs towards the end of the game. "If we can string enough things together then we'll go a lot better than what we did." Potter said the Wallabies had no need to address the do-or-die nature of the second Test, as they seek to emulate the 2001 Australian side that recovered from 1-0 down to claim a famous 2-1 series win against the Lions. "Everyone's on the same page; you know you have to win this game to keep the series alive," Potter said. "Emotionally it's very simple this week and we all know the task at hand, so I don't think anyone's got any questions about what's at stake." Potter, who will head from Western Force to the NSW Waratahs in the next Super Rugby season, endured a frustrating night on a personal level in Brisbane. And former Wallabies captain, Michael Hooper, this week suggested Hunter Paisami be injected into the centres for the Melbourne Test, a move that would shift Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to the wing and bump Potter out of the side. The London-born 27-year-old lived a period of his youth in Melbourne and said it would be a dream to play at the MCG. "It's a mecca of sport, this place, in my eyes," Potter said. "If I can be out here on Saturday night against the British and Irish Lions, it would be a pretty special place to play the game." Potter was in the crowd the last time the Wallabies hosted the Lions in Melbourne, in 2013. Wallabies winger Harry Potter has rubbished Clive Woodward's suggestion there is a "losing mentality" in Australian rugby ahead of the do-or-die second Test against the Lions in Melbourne. England's World Cup-winning coach Woodward criticised the Wallabies after captain Harry Wilson's decision to kick the ball out to end the first Test in Brisbane rather than chase another try. It might have come as some relief to Wallabies fans that their underdogs weren't mauled by the Lions in the series-opening 27-19 defeat. But Potter on Wednesday said Joe Schmidt's men aren't content with simply competing with the Lions. "It's pretty ridiculous to suggest that the 23 people who played on the weekend have a mentality of losing," Potter said at the MCG, which will host the second Test on Saturday night. "We went out there to win the game, and we didn't win the game. "But it was our intention very much and you could tell from every player in the team we wanted to win that game." He said it had been tough looking back at the first Test, in which the Wallabies were out-muscled by the tourists and trailed 24-5 after 42 minutes. 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"It's a mecca of sport, this place, in my eyes," Potter said. "If I can be out here on Saturday night against the British and Irish Lions, it would be a pretty special place to play the game." Potter was in the crowd the last time the Wallabies hosted the Lions in Melbourne, in 2013.
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'Jordie's obviously still very fond of the Reds and Super Rugby back here, so who knows what that could turn into down the track? 'The amount of talent over in the US is very attractive. They've got a strong presence in [rugby] sevens, so if we're front and centre with opportunities over there, who knows what that could turn into? 'The US is definitely an opportunity to establish a strategic relationship.' While the NRL has sought to infiltrate the US market through its opening round in Las Vegas, opportunities for rugby union to forge a more collaborative partnership await. Loading Hanham confirmed the US would continue to be a market they would explore before the nation hosts the 2031 Rugby World Cup, and could, in time, feature a similar connection to that which has been created with Benetton. Josh Flook, Richie Asiata, Louis Werchon and John Bryant will leave this month for a three-month secondment in Italy, and Hanham sees the potential for similar exchanges of players and coaches with American rugby. The connection to Petaia could enhance those visions, as could the exposure opportunities to be gleaned from a major broadcast deal on ESPN secured by America's professional rugby competition, Major League Rugby. 'We were looking at an opportunity last year when the LA team played a game in Fiji. They were talking to us about potentially coming to participate in that, which we were open to – it would have been before we went to the UK,' Hanham said. 'I've met with a couple of the clubs over there who have spoken to us about their ambitions for the success of rugby heading into the World Cup '31. 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It wouldn't be right across – you wouldn't find any nines there – but you could certainly find the types of athletes with a power base,' Kiss said. 'Any opportunities you can get to broaden your reach and deepen your influence, why not tap into it? We're always searching for opportunities, whether it's in Europe or broader into the US market.' While the American dream is yet to come to fruition, the Reds have orchestrated a touring calendar that has proved to be a retention and recruitment goldmine. The club already has lasting ties with Japan through the Saitama Wild Knights, while there is the possibility of another Tonga clash being arranged this year, following last year's venture. The Reds also travelled to Ulster and Bristol in January, and Hanham said they were hopeful of securing another fixture when they embarked for Benetton in November 2026 – ideally in France. In turn, the club has extended the bulk of its team, which finished fifth this year. Loading Hanham said the goal of the Reds' global escapades was to develop a program featuring '25 to 26 quality games a year' to help build a 'sustainably successful football program and team that can win consistently'. He said given the Super Rugby Pacific season only ran for 16 rounds before finals, there was a 'high performance need' to fill a gap and ensure players remained engaged and committed. 'We want to be doing this for well over a decade because once we can do this consistently, that's going to help with a number of things for our football program,' Hanham said. 'The appeal in being part of the Reds now is you get to play in these international tour matches. It's starting to have a positive impact on player renegotiations and retention, and, in some cases, recruitment of players.
