Queensland Reds flanker Fraser McReight in ‘no rush’ to sign new Rugby Australia contract

A leading Wallaby is yet to secure his future beyond this year, but he seems anything but concerned about it.

Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight is in no hurry to sign a new deal with Rugby Australia as he focuses on securing his spot in Queensland’s forward pack.

McReight, who turns 26 next month, is off contract at the end of this year.

However, rather than be concerned about RA’s strange lack of urgency in securing his signature beyond 2025, McReight was confident a new deal would “take care of itself” if he played well for the Reds and Australia.

“I’m in no rush,” he said on Tuesday when asked about when he would sign a new contract with RA and the Queensland Rugby Union.

“I just want to enjoy my rugby, and enjoy winning and competing.

“My goal is to really play well for the Reds this year, and then for the Wallabies.

“If I’m playing my best rugby, and doing my best right here (with Queensland) first and foremost, and then take it into the Wallabies, that (contract) will take care of itself.”

While expected to be one of the first players chosen in the Reds’ pack, McReight wasn’t taking his place for granted due to Queensland’s depth.

The Reds’ back-row options also include flanker Liam Wright and No.8 Harry Wilson, who both captained Australia last year, the versatile Seru Uru, who can also play as a lock, and talented pair John Bryant and Joe Brial.

Back at it 🤝 #Wallabiespic.twitter.com/ZYwE7CrgJ0

— Wallabies (@wallabies) January 9, 2025

“It’s not just us three,” McReight said in reference to himself, Wright and Wilson.

“We’ve got a pretty stacked back-row with `JB’, `Brially’, even Seru can mix it with the second-rowers there, so we’ve got so much competition and it starts at training.

“You’ve got to earn your stripes, which we understand.”

It’s a Queensland training environment under the guidance of head coach Les Kiss that McReight loves.

“The best thing that probably happened for myself last year was a change of coaching staff (at the Reds), with a new way of how we wanted to play, and made it a refresh for myself,” he said.

“We had a great year last year under Les and the new coaches, but we’ve got a long way to go.”

McReight was similarly re-energised by last year’s coaching revamp at Wallabies level following the appointment of Joe Schmidt as national coach.

He said the spirit and competitiveness was evident at last week’s Wallabies training camp in Sydney, where sessions weren’t always “light” as was intended.

“It kind of felt like we never left. Six weeks (since the end of the spring tour to the UK and Ireland) goes quite quick,” McReight said.

“There were some new faces there, which was great. It was meant to be light, but it’s never really light, it always ramps up, which was nice.”

Originally published as Queensland Reds flanker Fraser McReight in ‘no rush’ to sign new Rugby Australia contract