Ethan de Groot: Highlanders co-captain ahead of their Super Rugby match against the Brumbies

The Highlanders are heading into their Super Rugby quarter final as clear underdogs. 

They’re facing off against the Brumbies tonight at their oponents’ home ground. 

Piney caught up with their co-captain Ethan de Groot to discuss how they're going to go about upsetting the team from Canberra. 

De Groot told Piney that the set piece is going to be massive and reckons whoever wins that will win the game. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk zed B.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
The last of the Super Rugby quarterfinals is in Canberra
tonight nine thirty Brumb's v Highlanders Again. There's a full
commentary for you on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. The Brumbies
for third in the regular season, losing just two of
their fourteen games and willing all of their home matches.
The Highlanders finished sixth.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
The Highlanders have duff the line out, the balls out,
Try it to the Islanders out of nothing.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
Oh it's the.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Groot Highlanders and all Blacks prop Ethan de Groot is
with us out of Canberra. Ethan, what sort of shape
do you think you're in heading into the quarterfinals?

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Obviously season what's the better of a huss and a raw?

Speaker 4 (00:53):
And then.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
The middle of our season got a bit messy, but
we've sort of clean things up coming into finals. Fody
and the beauty thing about finals forty its pointston matters knockout,
so best team one on the day.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Really, you talk about that rope period sort of mid season,
what were the things that you put in place that
helped you to kind of get out of that and
put together a decent run of results towards the back end.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
I think we just went back to simplifying things and
just go back to what was working well for us
instead of adding a whole heap of other stuff. So yes,
probably just simplified up our game a bit more and
just went back to what was working well at the start.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
It was last weekend's game against the Hurricanes a bit
challenging mentally. You kind of knew you were in the
top eight already, you couldn't really improve your table position,
wanted to keep something in the tank for knockout footy.
Was it a bit challenging mentally last weekend?

Speaker 3 (01:49):
Not personally, not for myself. I was obviously a big
game knocking up the fifty. But I think it was good.
You know, we gave a lot of lot more boys
a run. We rested a few of our key guys
that we couldn't afford to get injured, so everyone was
sort of ready and we're already in battle hard and
for the hope of the next couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
So in the earlier meeting with the Brumbies this season
twenty seven to twenty one loss and round four, you
led that game after an hour, pretty close result at
the end. What can you take out of that game
that might be useful tonight?

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, that was sort of Yeah, we definitely let that
game slip and we're a completely different teams since then,
and so of the Brumbies. But yeah, I think we
can just take out Obviously, you start well, you've got
to finish well and we've got to front up.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
As far as the week's concerned, has it has it
felt different in any way, you know with a knockout
game at the end of it.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
Not really. We just take one week at a time
and hopefully we can earn another Monday together. So in
the aspect, you know, there's always the unknown, but and
not looking too far ahead, we just got to know
this game.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
You had this long running windless streak against other New
Zealand sides kind of hanging over you, but snapped it
with that victory over the Crusaders three or four weeks
back in Dnedan. How much did you enjoy that victory?

Speaker 4 (03:13):
Yeah? That was that was a beauty.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
You know, it's always easy to get up for the
games like that against the old the old foe, and
you know that a team that's been on top for
so long, But yeah, that was a extremely proud of
that effort from the boys.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
What sort of day to day impact has Jamie Joseph
had on the on the team Ethan coming in as
is in that new role of director of rugby. Has
he had much sort of on the grass impact.

Speaker 3 (03:42):
In terms of probably not coaching wise as an on
the grass coaching, but he's definitely coming and he's got
our coaching staff hissing, and you know, he brings a
bit of edge and he's he's been awesome with.

Speaker 4 (03:55):
Our leadership group as well, So.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
He sort of works behind the scenes, but yeah, he's
definitely got that presence about him that you know, you
just want to go do everything for him.

Speaker 4 (04:05):
And same with the coaches. Yeah, it's pretty special man.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yep, that's for sure. Can I ask you about your
your rest week in early May? I thought this was
tremendous taking the week off and going duck shooting. How
important is it to do something unrelated to rugby during
your week's off and to and to refresh yourself mentally?

Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, obviously we have, We've got long years of rugby,
hopefully obviously got a big year. Hopefully we've got on
back in the All Blacks. But yeah, in terms of
those rest weeks, they it was lucky, luckily my one
aligned with duck shooting. But yeah, I definitely the right.
I still it wasn't a full week off. I still trained,
joined the team. I just didn't play, But I had

(04:51):
that weekend off and I think it's massive to get
away from the game for a wee bit. And if
that takes going duck shooting with my mates or going
out for a pig or going out for a stag,
That's what I'll do in my spare time.

Speaker 4 (05:04):
So That's what I went and done.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Do you have a successful weekend in the my mind
is the big question?

Speaker 3 (05:11):
Uh? Yeah, No, it was always It's always good. Me
and my mates down home have been going going down
there for years. We ended up shooting sixty eight for
the weekend. It was pretty good, not bad.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Well, that seems like a lot for the uninitiated, like
what would a what what would a regular number be like?
As fifty a good number, for example.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
Ah, you always hear some ridiculous numbers, especially down south
where I'm from. Yeah, I think that's pretty standard around fifty.
Any anything under anything close to one hundreds a pretty
good day.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
But I hear about some people getting over that.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Well, and back to the right you mentioning the All
Blacks there, Obviously Highland is your focus until the season ends,
in whichever way, shape or form that is. Have you
thought that much about the All Black season ahead.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
Well, not too much.

Speaker 4 (06:02):
I do know it's a massive year.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
And you've you've got to be playing your best footy.

Speaker 4 (06:07):
To obviously make that squad.

Speaker 3 (06:10):
So yeah, for me, it's the anything I'm looking looking
at now is performing to be selected.

Speaker 4 (06:15):
You know, each game is a.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
Sort of got to treat every game towards the end
of the season as a trial to make the All
Lecks and that's kind of how I've taken it.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
And as far as the Brumbies are concerned, just to finish,
are there any any things that you've kind of pinpointed
that you'll need to do particularly well if you are
to advance to the semi finals?

Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah, set piece.

Speaker 4 (06:39):
Is going to be massive.

Speaker 3 (06:41):
The Brumbies are no one for good line out d
and also known for a good rolling mall, so we'll
be prepared for that. I reckon whoever wins set Peace,
we'll win the game.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Well, you must feel a high degree of responsibility in
that area. Then do you, as as the cornerstone of
the Highlanders scrummed, does that kind of you know, give
you any extra motivation knowing that it's going to be
that a battle.

Speaker 4 (07:08):
Yeah, one hundred percent off.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
That's their way into the game, and I can take
that away from it, away from them and make it
our way into the game. Yeah, that's a mess of
that's my role and I'm excited for the challenge.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Well, I hope you get to get another Monday. Hope
you earn yourselves another Monday. We'll be watching with interest tonight, Ethan,
thanks for taking the time for a chat.

Speaker 4 (07:31):
Mate, No worries, Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (07:33):
No, thank you, Ethan. Ethan de greet Highlanders and All
Blacks front rawer nine thirty five tonight. That's the final
quarter final.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
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