In the wake of the switch from ESL Pro League to the current Ubisoft-driven format, Wildcard Gaming found themselves on a hot streak as they brought in Jonathan "Giovanni" Lanciana and Patrick "Pat" Wines to revitalise the team.
A poor Six Invitational 2020 campaign and a bumpy finish to Season 11 of the ESL Pro League was swiftly a thing of the past as Wildcard toppled Ōkami (now ORDER) and Pittsburgh Knights in Six Masters and the August 2020 Oceania Major, respectively.
The end of August would see longtime roster member Ethan "Ethan" Picard decide to part ways with the roster and eventually retire from competitive Rainbow Six. Fresh from a stint with Team Sinister, Vincere was chosen as Ethan’s replacement, and the good times would continue.
The same two teams would fall victim, as Knights lost the Oceanic Nationals (OCN) and Ōkami had their dream of winning the November Major abruptly halted.
Knights would have their revenge two months later though, and come March, strong support player and In-Game Leader Kyle "Diesel" Renton stepped back from the roster and competitive play.
Unable to sign a new player to the team, coach and former pro Vinnie "syliX" Tam was forced into the lineup after a two year absence from competitive play as a roster member.
The result was a Wildcard stripped of its confidence and swagger, and as they grappled with Diesel’s absence, results would sharply nosedive; stone dead last in APAC South Stage 1, and 7th place in OCN.
Travel Restrictions imposed by the Australian government would preclude the roster from participating in the Six Invitational held in Paris.
An open transfer window afterward would provide them with an opportunity to sign their permanent fifth, and Joseph "Milostka" Kaleske would be their man, with former Team Secret and Rogue coach Wille "r0usty" Turunen brought onboard as well.
SiegeGG talked to Vincent "Vincere" Daniele ahead of the Week 4 APAC South games to get the pulse on how Wildcard Gaming has been approaching the 2021 season.
Obviously, not being able to be in Paris stung a lot, and it seems like APAC as a whole took a step backwards at SI with international tournaments being unavailable. Is it something to be worried about, and do you think you could have improved on how they performed in Paris?
Losing your main support and IGL in Diesel obviously was a huge setback -- how has it affected team chemistry and roles?
Was Milostka an easy choice for the team when reviewing all your options? You’ve obviously had more experience playing alongside him than your teammates, given your time together on the Team Sinister roster.
You mentioned on broadcast in your interview that r0usty’s addition to the team has brought a veteran presence and a calmness that the team sorely lacked last season: how much has it affected your attitude as a team between rounds, particularly when the scoreline isn’t within your favour?
The team has looked to be a little more aggressive than the more structured Wildcard we’re used to over the last couple play days; is this something that was tailored specifically to handle ORDER and Seventh Heaven or a new direction from the coaching staff?
We’re seeing a lot of good interregional competitions spring up over the world: Japan League, the Korean Open and the various European National Leagues have all been fairly successful. How do you evaluate Oceania and the Oceanic Nationals in contrast to these tournaments, and past tournaments within the ANZ region, such as Six Masters or the Oceanic Cup?
There have been several pro players that have dipped their toes into AEL -- Fisho, OJ, Redd and yourself have all played at various points in time. Do you see it as a competition that can provide raw talent for Challenger League/Pro League, or are there better routes to take on the path to becoming a professional?
Athletes are known for being a superstitious lot. Do you have any pre match rituals you have to do to get into the zone before a match?
Is there an athlete or musician or someone that inspires you/you consider your role model? What have you learned from them that has helped buoy you through your professional career?
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Catch the continuation of Wildcard Gaming's Stage 2 campaign later today, when the Australians play Elevate at 5:30 PM AEST (UTC+10).