Five rugby legends inducted into Wallaby Hall of Fame
October 14, 2005 - 9:40pm
Story by: ARU
Five of Australia's most famous Rugby names have been inducted into the Wallaby Hall of Fame during celebrations at tonight's John Eales Medal Dinner.
Tom Richards, Col Windon, Ken Catchpole, John Thornett and Mark Ella became the first Wallabies to be recognised for their contribution to the game at the inaugural Wallaby Hall of Fame induction.
They will be joined each year by two more of Australia's greats from all eras of the international game. Inductees are drawn from all Test teams starting with the first side in 1899 and to qualify must have been retired from international Rugby for a minimum ten years.
In announcing the group, ARU President Paul McLean said that selecting the initial five was an extraordinarily difficult task.
"So many greats names from so many eras, making a start was always going to be difficult. Inevitably, it is also controversial when you consider the calibre of those not chosen."
"However, we will continue to recognise our greatest players every year as the Hall of Fame grows."
"Mark Ella and Ken Catchpole exuded grace and majesty; John Thornett's name is synonymous with Australian pride and great leadership, the late Col Windon was an electrifying talent and a try scoring machine, while the late Tom Richards was an extraordinary character whom the London Times described in 1908 as the first man to be picked for Earth if we were ever to play Mars!"
Mr McLean thanked the selection panel that comprised:
- Paul McLean: ARU President and former Wallaby captain (30 Tests)
- Gary Flowers: ARU Managing Director and CEO
- Peter Crittle: ARU Immediate Past President and former Wallaby (15 Tests)
- Phil Harry: Former ARU President
- George Gregan: Wallaby captain (114 Tests)
- John Freedman: ARU & SANZAR Judicial Appeals Committee, Rugby historian and former Wallaby (4 Tests)
- Max Howell: Rugby historian, author and former Wallaby (5 Tests)
- Stuart Macdougall: President of the Classic Wallabies & former Wallaby (8 Tests)
Tom Richard's daughter Joan Menck accepted the award on behalf of her father, while Julie Blomberg accepted the award on behalf of her father, Col Windon.
Ken Catchpole and John Thornett were present to receive their special trophies, while Mark Ella accepted his via video link.
Each trophy is etched with the players face, their name, their years as a Wallaby and the date that they were inducted into the Wallaby Hall of Fame.
These details have been replicated on a permanent glass panel which housed at the ARU's headquarters in perpetuity.
To be eligible for inclusion in the Wallaby Hall of Fame, a player must have:
- played at least one Test for Australia
- been retired from rugby for at least ten years
- made a major contribution to the game of Rugby
- demonstrated outstanding ability, sportsmanship, commitment, character and personal contribution to their team and the game in their era
While consideration is given to a players' on-field career, induction is not based on statistical achievement alone.
INAUGURAL INDUCTEES TO THE WALLABY HALL OF FAME
Ken Catchpole
Ken Catchpole is widely acclaimed as one of Rugby Union's greatest ever scrumhalves. Born in Paddington in 1939, he rose through the ranks of club rugby, playing for Randwick's Under 21s before moving to the senior team. In 1959, at the age of 19, he played the first of 26 matches for NSW against the visiting British Lions.
Two years later he established himself as Australia's starting scrumhalf. In 1961 he became one of only nine players to make their Test debut as captain when, at the age of 21, he led the Wallabies in the three-Test series against Fiji.
The same year he captained the team to South Africa and toured there again in 1963. His partnership with Phil Hawthorne at flyhalf became legendary, as the pair laid the foundation for many historic victories including a two-Test series win against South Africa in 1965 and wins against Wales and England on the 1966/67 UK tour, with Ken has captain.
After the win against England the President of the English Rugby Union described him as "the greatest halfback the world has known".
Ken played 27 Test for Australia, 13 as captain. His career ended prematurely when a severe injury suffered during the second Test against New Zealand in 1968, forced him from the field and into retirement.
Mark Ella
With his incredible footwork, ball skills and almost psychic anticipation, Mark Ella was the epitome of fast, exciting Rugby Union. One of the famous three Ella brothers, Mark, his twin Glen and brother Gary, were introduced to rugby at Matraville High School. Their impact was immediate and all three represented the Australian Schoolboys in 1976 and 1977/78. Within three months of leaving school they were all playing first grade rugby for Randwick and in 1979 Mark played the first of 26 games for New South Wales.
Mark made his Test debut for Australia in the three-Test series against New Zealand in 1980. It was an historic series with Australia retaining the Bledisloe Cup with our first ever back-to-back win.
He played a total of 25 Tests, 19 as captain and was the first indigenous Australian to captain a national sporting team. On the 1984 Wallabies' Grand Slam tour of the UK and Ireland in which they won all four Test matches against the home unions, Mark scored a try in every Test.
Rated as one of the most naturally gifted exponents of the game Australia has ever produced, Mark shocked the Rugby world when he announced his retirement at the age of 25. Off the field, he was named Young Australian of the Year (1982) and awarded the Order of Australia (1984).
Tom Richards
Tom Richards was the journeyman of early international rugby. Playing for numerous clubs, representative and international sides, his love of the game was only paralleled by his attention to detail. It was Richards' prodigious strength and mastery of skills and tactics that led him to being a natural selection in many sides around the world.
Born in Northern NSW in the 1880s, Richards grew up in the gold mining town of Charters Towers in Northern Queensland. His interest in rugby and the world outside Charters Towers was sparked by a visiting NSW Rugby Team. Setting himself a grueling training schedule he soon represented Queensland before the family moved to South Africa in 1905.
Once there he played for Transvaal in two Currie Cup matches and then traveled to England playing County rugby before returning to Australia in time to be selected for the first Wallaby tour of 1908. On tour he scored the first Wallaby try against Wales and was a member of the gold medal winning Rugby team in the 1908 London Olympics.
Having returned to South Africa in 1910, Richards played as a replacement for the visiting British Isles (Lions) touring team - qualifying because of his early County representation in England. Back in Australia he was chosen for the Australian tour to the US and Canada in 1912 and at the end of the tour he traveled to France where he became player/manager for Toulouse.
In World War I he took part in the landing at Gallipoli and was awarded the Military Cross for his conspicuous bravery on the battlefields of France. The only Wallaby to have played for the Lions, the trophy contested between the Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions, is named in his honour.
John Thornett
John Thornett was adamant in his upholding of sportsmanship in the game of Rugby Union. Words of negativity, criticism and bitterness were not uttered when the looming figure of John Thornett was around. He believed that rugby union was a means of building character and supported the fundamental ideals of the game wherever he could.
A product of Sydney Boys High School, John played for Sydney University and Northern Suburbs. In 1955 he made his debut for both New South Wales and Australia, playing a total of 21 representative games for New South Wales and 37 Tests for Australia, 16 as captain.
John had three positional changes in his Test career - first as flanker, then to the second row, where he was joined by his brother Richard, and finally to the front row where he won plaudits as one of the world's best prop forwards.
He toured with Australian Universities to New Zealand in 1954 and to Japan in 1956, to New Zealand with Australian Teams in 1955, 1958, 1962, 1964, to South Africa in 1961 and 1963, and to the UK, France in 1957/58, and 1966/67.
In 1964 he captained Danny Craven's team of Internationals at the South African Rugby Union's 75th Anniversary and in the same year was one of the New Zealand Rugby Almanac's five International "Players of the Year".
He captained Australia from 1962 to his retirement in 1967, leading Australia to some historic wins and on some memorable tours including the 1963 tour to South Africa.
Col Windon
Colin Windon was nicknamed "Breeze" for a very good reason. With the acceleration of an Olympic sprinter, Col was usually found on a rugby field with a clear paddock ahead of him, steaming for the try line.
During the Second World War, Windon was recruited as a company runner during battles in the Owen Stanley Range of New Guinea, an experience he says sharpened his speed.
Born in 1921, Col Windon made his Test debut for Australia in 1946 in New Zealand and went on to make his name as a try-scorer in the 1947/48 Wallaby tour of Britain and France. He played 27 matches on tour, including all five Tests, scoring one try against Scotland and two magnificent tries against England in Australia's 11-0 victory in front of a crowd of 70,000.
After being vice-captain of the victorious 1949 side, the first to win the Bledisloe Cup on New Zealand soil, Col captained Australia in two Tests against New Zealand in 1951. He played 26 games for New South Wales and a total of 20 Tests.
For three decades after his retirement in 1952, he held the record for the most Test tries scored by an Australian.
