'That was the thing that they were all talking about, they've got something to prove': Western Force star's history-making journey
Byron Ralston may have scored one of the most iconic debut tries in Australian rugby history last Saturday, crossing for the opening five-pointer against the Waratahs at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
But it was the significance of the try that transcends mere competition. Western Force fans have waited nearly three years – or 1092 days to be exact – to see their team back in Super Rugby, and Ralston’s 28th minute effort brought an end to the bitterness of exile for now.
After an impressive first half, the Waratahs scored 23 unanswered points to rain on the parade of the Force’s return and the winger’s first Super Rugby cap.
But while they lost the match, the Force’s eagerly awaited return to the big stage won the day, with the 20-year-old’s try the standout moment.
The try has been immortalised through photos and replays, which have been viewed thousands of times online and will be for many years to come.
Ralston admitted that he was proud to have scored the Force’s first try since they were removed from Super Rugby in 2017, even though its significance didn’t hit him right away.
“You obviously don’t go out there thinking that you’re going to score the first try but for it to fall my way was certainly a special moment,” Ralston told RugbyPass.
“I didn’t really realise the extent of it until after I went back to my phone and saw the media build it up.”
Ralston will have the opportunity to add more tries to his tally this Friday, having been named to start the Force’s second Super Rugby AU match against the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium.
But it isn’t just another match for the up-and-comer, who’ll take on some familiar faces in front of friends and family after growing up in Brisbane.
“It’s my second Super Rugby cap so I’m pretty up for it and obviously very fresh and very green for it. Last week was a big game and this week it’s just a bigger game so I’m just heading into it by trying to block out that external stuff.
“It’s certainly going to be an enjoyable feeling running out there in front of family, friends and what not, and playing against guys that I’ve played with at club level and played with at school.
“But to do that in the next level up is going to be even more special, especially in front of hopefully what will be a big crowd at Suncorp. It’s a special moment and one that I’m looking forward to, it’s going to be an exciting challenge as well.”
After coming through the Reds Academy, Ralston acknowledged that he may have a point to prove against his hometown Super franchise, but showed humility in saying that he’s purely focused on the task at hand.
“A little bit [to prove] but not too much. I suppose there’s a little bit there but for me it’s more of wanting to perform for my own teammates and wanting to earn respect from within the group.
“It’s my second Super Rugby cap, I’ve only played a handful of NRC games, so for me it’s more about playing for my peers first and earning their respect by playing for the Western Force. There’s a little bit of that but it’s certainly not what’s driving me this weekend.”
Ralston was born in Darwin, later moving to Brisbane where he played for junior clubs Kenmore Bears and Taylor Bridge Bullsharks. But it was at high school where he took his game to the next level.
He captained the prestigious Gregory Terrace First XV in his senior year, before playing for Brisbane City in the Under 19s Rugby Championship in 2018, and later Queensland Premier club rugby for Brothers.
After starring for the Premier Rugby Minor Premiers last year, he finished as the competition’s top try scorer and appeared more than ready for another challenge.
That challenge came as the then 19-year-old was preparing for a Grand Final.
Just before the big dance, the Force called.
“I was literally preparing for the Grand Final for Brothers, then on the Wednesday night I got a phone call saying, ‘We might have something for you over at the Western Force in Tonga.’ I thought ‘Well, I’m about to prepare for a Grand Final.’
“It was pretty much pack your bags the Saturday before the game.
“I had a couple of beers back at Brothers and was on a flight to the Sydney International Airport at 8am to go to Tonga with the Western Force at an invitational World Cup.”
After meeting his teammates at Sydney Airport, he impressed and eventually became a regular for the Force in their most successful National Rugby Championship campaign to date.
After replacing feeder club Perth Spirit in the NRC for the 2018 season, they went on to win their first national crown as the Force a year later in emphatic fashion. They won the final 41-3, where Ralston started on the wing.
He finished the season with seven tries in his rookie campaign, including a hat-trick against Melbourne Rising in round three, before being named as the Rising Star nominee weeks later in round six.
The Queensland-product felt that the experience of senior players helped the younger prospects transition through the grades, which set the platform for a dominant NRC campaign and promising start to Super Rugby AU.
“That was certainly awesome to be a part of and was pretty green as well by not having played at a level like that but to go into a team that was successful in their own right in Rapid Rugby.
“But then you walk in there, that was the thing that they were all talking about, they’ve got something to prove and there is something that they wanted to be. There’s a lot of chat that we want to be the best team in Australia, and that stemmed a lot from NRC.”
It was a game of two halves last weekend against the Waratahs, and the Force will look to rectify that with an unchanged starting side named to face the Reds.
Ralston is expecting a tough challenge from the forward pack in particular, who can feed plenty of ball to the exciting outside backs.
But it’s his old high school and Brothers teammate who he thinks poses the biggest threat.
“Harry Wilson, my mate there, 19 ball carries I think he had last week so he’s definitely their go to, dominant ball runner. They’re playing two sevens in Fraser [McReight] and Liam Wright in the back row, so that’s certainly something to look for on the ball and something we’re looking to negate.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments