By Michael Atkinson

This Sunday, the University of Queensland Red Heavies face the Sunnybank Dragons in the Queensland Premier Rugby preliminary final, with the winner to play Brothers in the grand final next week.

But this weekend’s match will have an added dimension to the battle with brothers Brendan and Conor Mitchell facing off as captains of Sunnybank and University respectively.

Rugby News spoke to both of them ahead of Sunday’s big clash and asked them about their rivalry.

Rugby News: Brendan, as the older brother, do you get protective of Conor?

Brendan: We’re pretty close as we’re the only two kids in our family, but I don’t get too protective; Conor is pretty good at fending for himself.

Conor: There is only 18 months between us so we grew up pretty close, more like mates than brothers. When we were really young. Mum said he was pretty protective but as we grew up I was always tagging along trying to do anything he was doing and trying to out do him as well.

RN: Even though you play on different teams, do you get protective of each other?

B: I’m not too worried about that. I’m usually trying to get to him myself.

RN: Conor, you’ve had a pretty standout year with rugby; making your Aussie 7s debut and captaining the Australian Uni 7s to a gold medal at the World Uni Games; is Brendan supportive of your achievements?

C: Oh, massively supportive. He’s always the first to congratulate me on something I’ve done or first to check up on me. Apart from when we play against each other, we’re very supportive of one another.

RN: Growing up, were there some epic backyard footy battles?

 B: Absolutely! Everything we did was very competitive.

C: Just from little things, like kicking a soccer ball around even, would turn into an argument and then some punches, and then I’d run and hide behind mum.

RN: You grew up in Johannesburg and moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2005, what was it like for you growing up over there and then the experience of moving to Australia?

C: Growing up in Jo’burg we were very close because we were restricted in our activities because of the security risks there. We would always play together. Coming to Australia, I was 10 and Brendan was 11 or 12, and we grew even closer then because we didn’t know anyone here. But sport helped us form friendships pretty quickly.

B: There was good and bad parts to growing up in Johannesburg. You don’t have the freedom to walk or ride the streets over there like you do in Australia, so we were restricted in that way. But we did a lot of things outside of Jo’burg, went on quite a few holidays with our parents and that sort of thing.

RN: Have you played much rugby on the same team?

B: We played one game together for Sienna College (Sunshine Coast) in a Ballymore Cup game. I was in grade 11 and Conor was in grade 10.

C: If mum had her way we’d be playing together a lot more, and I’d like that too, but it just hasn’t eventuated.

RN: When did you first play against one another?

B: I think 2006. Conor had moved to Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar School, Brisbane) for school and Sienna played a trial game against them. We’ve basically played against each other twice a year ever since through club rugby. After school I joined the Sunshine Coast Stingrays, before I moved to Sunnybank in 2014, and Conor went to UQ.

C: I was really nervous playing against old school mates and against Brendan. We played the game in thirds and I didn’t get on until the second third. I remember there being a lot of ‘chat’ from Brendan and my old mates but I don’t think we came face to face in the action.

RN: Is this the first season you’ve been opposing captains?

B: Yeah, first time as captains. We’ve played against each other in finals before, the last time was the 2014 GF which UQ obviously won with a penalty on full time; Conor loves to remind me of that.

C: Yeah it doesn’t really feel any different as captains. It’s a bit weird at the coin toss, but once the game starts I’m focused on UQ and trying to get the win.

RN: Is there extra feeling knowing you’re coming up against your brother?

B: Absolutely. Every time we play each other we’re looking to do one better. Even if it’s just one tackle, one of us will remind the other who won that battle. Every now and then there’s a little slap in the face if we get close enough, or a bit of niggle and some friendly banter.

C: Especially if he’s playing No.8, I always want to be the first one there to take him down.

RN: Sadly, there can be only one winner this weekend; will that create a little tension at home? 

B: Just a bit of friendly banter. The losing brother will naturally be disappointed, but we’ll be out there next week supporting the other in the grand final.

C: We’re both pretty considerate of the fact there is more on the line this week, so there won’t be much said at the time. Once the moment settles, regardless of who the winner is, we’ll be supporting one another.

Slaps in the face, friendly banter and the odd backyard ‘blue’, it seems all is fair in love and war…. And rugby.

If you’re sitting on the hill at Ballymore from 3pm on Sunday, keep a close eye on the No.4 from Sunnybank and the No.6 from UQ.