What happens when 229 kilograms of red-head aggression collides in a National Rugby Championship match?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A wink of recognition for the red-head brotherhood? "I don't know," Tom Ross grins as he prepares to play against Harry Johnson-Holmes.
"I made my Super Rugby debut against him, but he went off the field straight after that. So we've only had one encounter.
"I guess when you go up against [another red head] you just try to outdo the opposite number."
Ross will continue his return from a horror stretch of injuries when the Canberra Vikings play against Johnson-Holmes the NSW Country Eagles at Viking Park on Friday night.
The front-rowers are two of Australian rugby's emerging props, both forging a path through the junior Wallabies programs and now playing for the ACT Brumbies and NSW Waratahs respectively.
Any hair-colour allegiances will be put on hold when they face each other at scrum time, with the Vikings and Eagles fighting for a National Rugby Championship home finals.
The Vikings are second on the ladder and can secure a top-two spot if they topple the Eagles.
Coach Nick Scrivener has made three changes from last week's victory over Sydney, with hooker Connal McInerney taking over the captaincy duties from the injured Darcy Swain.
The 22-year-old lock sustained a thumb injury and will be replaced by Blake Enever in the second-row.
Scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan will start at No.9 while Joe Powell is among the finishers. Toni Pulu returns to the starting XV at right-wing, with five-try Tom Wright to start on the bench.
"It's a really good bench and I think it needs to be against NSW Country," Scrivener said.
"They've come back and won games in the second-half when they've been chasing. They're a strong squad which means they've got a good bench as well.
"There's a lot of things that can happen. We can take away a lot of the permutations if we just win the game, so we're not looking further afield than that."
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
Ross has been working his way back on to the field after a posterior cruciate ligament injury kept him out of action for four months.
When he eventually made his comeback for the Vikings, Ross had to miss more games because of a bulging disc in his back.
It's not the way the 21-year-old had hoped his debut professional season to go, but he's confident he will be fit and ready for the Super Rugby season in January.
"I'm still trying to tick the boxes [fitness wise]. It's been a long recovery but I'm just trying to play some footy, get some metres in my legs," Ross said.
"I want to try to get better every game. I'm still trying to find my groove but I'm maybe just one performance away from getting my confidence back and moving forward.
"But I'm not here to survive. I'm here to compete and get better every game I play."
The Vikings have set their sights on winning the NRC for the first time and know a top-two finish is crucial to their chances.
The Western Force have already secured top spot, but the Vikings and the Eagles are playing for a chance to host the other semi-final and potentially the grand final if the Force slip in their campaign.
"We're pretty confident. Over the last couple of weeks we've just tried to worry about what we can do without worrying about the opposition," Ross said.
"The Eagles are a good side. Last year they shocked us in Armidale, so you never know what to expect from them."
NRC ROUND SEVEN
Friday: Canberra Vikings v NSW Country at Viking Park, 6pm.
Vikings team: 1. Bo Abra 2. Connal McInerney 3. Angus Wagner 4. Nick Frost 5. Blake Enever 6. Pete Samu 7. Will Miller 8. Rob Valetini 9. Ryan Lonergan 10. Bayley Kuenzle 11. Mack Hansen 12. Irae Simone 13. Len Ikitau 14. Toni Pulu 15. Tom Banks
Reserves: 16. Lachlan Lonergan 17. Fred Kaihea 18. Tom Ross 19. Jake Helgesen 20. Angus Allen 21. Joe Powell 22. Noah Lolesio 23. Tom Wright