Judah Johnson aims to hit hard in CSU's crunch New Holland Cup match against Narromine

It's something that CSU's star American recruit is loving about his stint in the New Holland Cup.

It was just over a month ago the 18-year-old flew out from the USA to Australia to embark on a mission to improve his rugby union skills.

Since linking with CSU he's done just that.

"I've been having one of the best times I could've ever had in rugby," the tight-head prop said.

"The scrums are something else, I love them but I am not going to have a functioning body by the age of 27," he added with a laugh.

Part of why Johnson is loving his time in Australia is the way he has been embraced by his new club.

He's spent time during the week working alongside coach Dave Conyers - joking that hoisting a heavy air-conditioning unit onto a roof on Wednesday was a definite highlight.

Johnson has also been convinced by his team-mates to get a new haircut. Against his better judgement, it's a mullet.

"The only reason I agreed to it is because a couple of the boys told me that I had to get one otherwise I'm not officially an Australian rugby player, there were about four or five of them that kept going on about it," Johnson said.

"So finally I texted Jo [Joseph Fajloun], he's our loose-head, and I told him 'Hey, seeing as the others are so adamant about me getting a mullet do you know a barber who might be able to cut it for me?'

"He told me to get in the car because he and Reggie [Townsend] were going to take me somewhere, he said 'You're going to have a great time and you're going to look stellar'."

The pair did help Johnson get his haircut as promised, but it wasn't at a Bathurst barber. It was done in a kitchen of a dormitory at CSU.

"Reggie, he grabs a razor, like a little shaving kit, he sits me down on a chair in the middle of the kitchen, and just starts shaving my head while everyone else is sitting around and talking," Johnson laughed.

"I guess it's growing on me. In America people kind of frown on mullets, people still get them but they're awful ... I still wear a hat out just because.

"They have made me feel like I am part of the family that's for sure."

Though he's still not completely sold on his new haircut, the prop is relishing the physicality of New Holland Cup rugby.

Getting to hit hard in tackles is something Johnson loves.

"It's a very different experience when you go up someone a lot more physical than you're used to, the only other time I got to play against a physical team was when I played for the under 23s team for the USA South group," he said.

"But even then some grown men were fearful of trying to hit one another and run into one another, it confused me because I just like to hit people. That's one of my favourite things about rugby because I can hit people without pads as hard as I want.

"I love it here, I think it's wonderful ... just knowing that I can go all out and they're giving their all too. It's very new to me, but it's a very good kind of new, I'm enjoying it a lot."

READ MORE: Conyers fears his New Holland Cup squad has copped four season-ending injuries

READ MORE: Scott, Watters named in NSW Country teams to play against City on home turf

READ MORE: We pack in and break down the latest in Central West Rugby Union

This Saturday Johnson and his team-mates will host Narromine at University Oval.

While centres Townsend and Campbell Morris are out after sustaining injuries in last week's loss to Mudgee, the good news is that Fajloun is a chance of lining up alongside Johnson in the front row after it was initially feared he'd be out for the remainder of the year.

CSU lost to Narromine by a point when the sides met at University Oval in round five, but bettered the Gorillas 14-5 at Cale Oval at the start of the month.

Johnson played in that victory, but admits he still doesn't really know much about about Narromine.

However, that doesn't worry him at all as his approach to sport has long been to focus on his own game rather than scrutinising opponents.

"During my wrestling season in America, wrestlers are very keen on knowing who they're up against, knowing their style, knowing their record of losses verses wins and just all their data in general," he said.

"A lot of my wrestling team-mates were very much like that, so it was very awkward for me when they'd walk up after looking at their brackets and asking 'Who are you up against next?'. I told them 'Stuffed if I know, I'm just here to wrestle.'

"I told them that I'm here to play the sport, not the person. So if Narromine is a good team well then Narromine is a good team, that doesn't mean I'm not going to try my best against them.

"I don't care what they do, as long as I get to play and I get to hit [tackle] people."

Hitting hard in defence is exactly what CSU will need to get the better of Narromine and remain in contention for semi-finals.

The students currently hold down fourth, but the Gorillas are just one point behind and boast a better for and against.

Saturday's match at University Oval will kick-off at the earlier time of 1.45pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: