Accusing his old captain of "sledging from the sidelines", Angus Blyth has promised to bark back and even joked about a fresh hairdo when the NSW Waratahs recruit locks horns with his former side.
The departed Queensland Reds lock will debut in blue in Friday's Super Rugby Pacific opener between the traditional rivals in Sydney.
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Blyth played the 2020 Super Rugby AU final against the Brumbies with 'REDS' shaved into the back of his head and hinted on Tuesday there might be something fresh in the works.
"We'll have to see Friday night," he replied when asked if 'TAHS' was an option.
Blyth has already fronted up to his former side as part of the Waratahs team that dominated the Reds 49-19 in a trial game last month.
"That was a bit of a taster ... the real thing is Friday night," he said.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of chat from them and I'll be dishing out some chat as well.
"But we're there to win the game, do a job."
He said the pre-match banter had been flowing from an unlikely source, with injured Reds halfback Tate McDermott, replaced as captain by Fraser McReight this season, firing shots.
"I'm friends with all of them off the field. On the pitch it's all hands on deck, we're going for it," Blyth said.
"Most of the chat I've been getting is from Tatey ... sledging from the sidelines. I'm pretty sure I heard him from the crowd in that trial game."
Born in NSW, Blyth played his junior football just south of the border in Kingscliff before a high school move to The Southport School led to a chance with the Reds.
Blyth, 27, spent eight seasons at Ballymore and won four Test caps but will now pack in for this home state alongside fellow lock recruit and new skipper Matt Philip.
"I support the Blues in State of Origin; being born here, you have that allegiance," he explained.
"Playing for Queensland, I see that as my job, over the last eight years and now my job here is in NSW, so playing for the Waratahs."
Flyhalf Lawson Creighton and fellow second-rower Angus Scott-Young are also on the Waratahs books while coach Dan McKellar is a former Reds player and Reds coach Les Kiss is a former NSW Waratahs assistant coach.
The Waratahs won four of their first five games last season before losing seven of their last nine to slide from second to eighth and miss the finals.
"We've put a lot of work in this off season; it's a great feeling in camp and we're keen, looking to rip in," Blyth said.
