Reds rookie Nicholas Conway heard Les Kiss speaking his language when he said the ad lib skills of backyard footy were part of the DNA of Australian rugby.
Conway will likely take his first step onto a bigger stage in Kumagaya on Saturday afternoon with a debut off the bench at wing or fullback against the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.
It will be a joyful moment for the exuberant 19-year-old who is bursting with energy after spending most of the season in rehab strengthening his back for the rigours of professional rugby.
After getting a shot in the Reds' two pre-season trials and a Super Rugby Next Gen Under-20s game, Conway's season went silent for nine months.
That's why this four-game China Airlines Reds International Tour is so important to finish 2026 with a positive spin.
Conway's return on the wing in last weekend's non-cap trial against the Wild Knights meant a lot and Saturday's Reds debut will mean even more.
"I've been sitting in team meetings and rehabbing all season. It's awesome to feel fit and fast again," Conway said.
"Through all of it, 100 per cent I've always had this tour in mind.
"Through this year's frustrating times, you build your mental fortitude and the idea that when you do get an opportunity, take it.
"You work hard in rehab. My professionalism overall with recovery, how you train, my game awareness...they have all improved.
"I tried to learn as much as possible from some of the outside backs in the squad this year. Jock (Campbell) and Tim (Ryan) have been very good because they are similar to how I want to go about my footy. Just learning more about the cheats to get into position are important."
The chip-and-chase, the bobbing up one pass off the ruck, running out of his own territory...they are all traits from the backyard.
"My two brothers and I played footy all the time in the backyard at the family home in Aspley. It was an L-shaped block with a big garden so Nana's plants didn't fare the best," Conway said with a laugh.
"I feel I'm an instinctive player and that comes from the backyard."
His school days at Nudgee College became another "backyard footy" location.
"Heaps of footy at Nudgee. Those 25 vs 25 games on the school oval in our breaks were great fun," he said.
The son of former Brisbane Bronco Bob Conway has a pacy creative streak. He was dynamic at the World Rugby Under-20 Championships in Italy last year with two tries against England.
His first game for the Reds will mean a lot when it arrives...and it won't be his last.
