On Saturday, each NSW Waratahs player will wear socks representing a rugby club that has played a important role in their development to celebrate club round.

Earlier this week, we caught up with Southern Districts No.8 Jed Holloway, Eastwood hooker Hugh Roach and West Harbour winger Taqele Naiyaravoro to talk about their experiences playing club rugby and find out why they still take every chance they get to head back.

Hugh, did you grow up playing for Eastwood? 

Hugh: I played my junior footy for Hunters Hill before I went to Newington and played for Gordon growing up. After school I went down to Canberra for a season and when I came back to Sydney I wasn’t really aligned to a club. I almost went to Norths but then I decided to go to Eastwood and I’m really glad I did, I’ve loved it ever since.

I came in as a bit of a nobody but everyone welcomed me straight away and I managed to play my way into first grade, playing No.7 actually. We played in a Shute Shield grand final that year, which we lost, but it was an unreal experience.

Jed, how did you end up at Southern Districts?

Jed: I grew up in the country up in Yamba and never really made any of the rep sides, so the Buccaneers were my only club for a long time. I headed down to Sydney for year 12 and played at Waverley.

My old man used to play for Port Hacking, who merged with St George to form Southern Districts, so we still had a few family connections down that way. Kane Douglas was also there and he was from Yamba so I was trying to follow in his footsteps.

Taqele, you’re playing at West Harbour now, how did that happen?

Taqele: I played for Parramatta originally but when I came back from my time overseas, I was living closer to Concord so I decided to head down and play there.

I didn’t get to spend as much time as Roachy and Jed at their clubs, but I quickly realised how much club rugby means to people and that’s why every chance I get to go back and play club, I take it. I really enjoy playing with the boys who are trying to make Super Rugby and I just try to help as much as I can.

Do you notice much of a difference when you go back to play club rugby? 

Taqele: Sometimes it’s a lot more fun. There isn’t as much structure and it’s more about just enjoying your rugby. Not saying that Super Rugby isn’t enjoyable, but club has a different fell about it and the mateship is fantastic.

Jed and Hugh, did you play against one another in a Shute Shield grand final? 

Jed: We don’t need to talk about that.

Hugh: Yeah we played in 2014, it was a pretty good year for both of us because obviously the Tahs went on to win the Super Rugby final as well.

Jed: The Tahs won that grand final on the Saturday night and Roachy and I had to play each other in a Shute Shield quarter final on the Sunday. They were the higher seed so they got a second chance but we actually beat them that day.

Obviously we were both pretty excited after the Tahs won the final so we celebrated with them and had some beers after the game. We both actually played really well that day, but we were looking pretty average before the game and I think there were a few chunders behind the posts.

We got them in the quarter final but then they were too good in the final a few weeks later.

Is the Eastwood v Southern Districts rivalry the best one you’ve been involved in? 

Hugh: Yeah I’d have to say it would be. We’ve played one another in a number of big games and everyone time we play, it’s always really physical. I’d say it’s pretty even between the two sides. We won some silverware, but they’ve beaten us plenty of times as well.

It comes back to what Taqele said earlier, it’s just for the love of rugby. Souths and Eastwood are fairly similar clubs and we all get along well off the field. We bash one another on the field, but we can also have a few lemonades together afterwards and enjoy each others company.

Jed: I’m sure a lot of the other clubs are the same, but most of the Souths and Woodies guys use rugby as a bit of a release from work and their day to day lives. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing first grade of fourth grade, everyone just gets down and rips in on Tuesday and Thursday nights so that you’re ready to play on Saturday. There aren’t any egos or blokes on pedestals, everyone is equal and playing for the same reasons.

Some of the crowds can be nice and vocal, do you take much notice of the sledging at away games? 

Hugh: There probably aren’t many sledges that you can publish, but we always cop plenty from the fourth grade hill at Souths. Manly are also really good for it. They used to bring a microphone out for the Woods game and I don’t think I can really mention some of the comments, but they didn’t miss.

Where do you like playing the least? 

Hugh: Norths. Not because of the team, I just don’t like playing at that oval. I don’t know what it is, I never enjoy going there.

Jed: I hate going to Gordon. It’s a long way away, there is no parking and there’s a big cricket pitch in the middle.

Taqele: I hate playing down at Souths. Particularly in the trials when you’ve got to play at their other field.

Jed: At Rockdale.

Taqele: Yeah half the field is sand.

Who is the best club player that you’ve played with or against that hasn’t played professional rugby? 

Jed: Two come to mind for me. Apo Latunipulu, our inside centre at Souths. He’s probably the most professional player I’ve ever been around. He turns up an hour before every session to get his body right.

The other is Marcus Carbone. He’s not the biggest guy or the strongest but he does all the hard work and is a great leader.

Hugh: I’d agree on Apo, I played schoolboys with him and he’s everything Jed described.

The other guy is Brogan Roods (Randwick), I played at school with him as well. He was always the next big thing and was as dominant as Apo was, but he’s had something like 10 or 11 major surgeries over the past few years. I’ve got plenty of confidence that if he can get his body right and stay on the field, he’s certainly good enough to play and kill Super Rugby.

Taqele: Kody Hawkins plays fullback at West Harbour and he always impresses me whenever I’m at the club. He actually runs a lot of the skills sessions at training and he’s really committed. His discipline off the field is great as well and I’d love to see him get a crack somewhere.

Jed, Southern Districts have come close a few times. What would it mean to be part of the first ever premiership side? 

Jed: Now I only get to play every now and again but for a few years I was captain and playing week in week out at Souths. Souths is and always will be a massive part of my life so to be part of a side that wins that first premiership, it would be huge and I don’t think the party at Forshaw would stop for a few days.

It’d rate right up there with playing against the British and Irish Lions, it would be huge.

How important is grassroots rugby to our game as a whole? 

Jed: It’s massive. At Souths last weekend they held a Surf Club day and just acknowledged the greater community and plenty of people turned up. It just goes to show that people love the sport and they want to buy in. It was the same when the Waratahs played at Brookvale, it was packed and it was amazing to be a part of.

Grassroots obviously produces a lot of talent but I think, without being too controversial, that the sport can learn from some of its mistakes in recent years and do everything we can to help the game prosper. If more is invested in grassroots rugby, it’ll only flow through into the top end of rugby.

The Waratahs have had a few close losses in recent weeks, what needs to happen this weekend against the Highlanders? 

Taqele: We’ve been improving game by game over the last few weeks but we’ve just got to focus on playing our natural rugby and enjoy it. When we’re under pressure, we tend to overdo things a little bit but if we stay patient and back our skills and ability, things will work out this week.

The Waratahs will wear club socks this weekend, what will you all be wearing? 

Jed: I’ll be wearing the Era Bushticks socks. They’re a club that my dad and his mates started years ago. We’ve got a cabin in the Royal National Park and this year is the 30 year anniversary of their premiership winning Subbies side, so I’ll be wearing a pair of 30-year old cotton socks.

Taqele: I’ll have West Harbour socks on.

Hugh: I’m back playing for Eastwood this week, but if I was playing I’d probably wear a pair of black and white socks. They’re the colours of Hunters Hill and Newington so I tick both boxes there.

I know you’re all biased, so who will each of your clubs play in the grand final this year? 

Jed: I think Sydney Uni will be right up there, they’ve been quality so far this year and they would have learnt lots of lessons from last year and they blooded a lot of young talent. They’ve also got a lot of players to come back once Super Rugby is over so they’ll be hard to beat.

Taqele: Probably Norths I’d say. They’ve also got quite a few guys in the Waratahs squad and they are going to be strong.

Hugh: I’d agree with T, Norths will be up there. When I played the Students this year, they were pretty impressive. Warringah will also be in the mix so I don’t think there is much separating the sides at the moment.

Woods will be right up there though.