Jeremy Paul wins 2005 John Eales Medal
October 14, 2005 - 9:41pm
Story by: ARU
Qantas Wallaby hooker Jeremy Paul has won the coveted John Eales Medal, polling 194 votes from his Wallaby teammates, 18 votes clear of the inaugural winner George Smith.
Twenty-eight year old Paul has had an outstanding 12 months. He was the starting hooker for all bar two of the Wallabies' 13 Test matches in the last 12 months and is now the most capped Wallaby forward in the current squad, with 63 Test caps.
His mobility and exceptional support play have helped him score four tries in 11 Tests, as well as set up an outstanding try against France in Brisbane, where he showed great speed and positional play to charge towards the line, before popping a fantastic pass to Morgan Turinui, who scored under the posts.
The 3-2-1 votes were taken from the 22 players after every Test match since last year's John Eales Medal, including the four Spring Tour matches last year.
It is the fourth year since its inception that Rugby's top honour has been won by a forward, with Paul now joining David Lyons, Phil Waugh and George Smith as a John Eales Medallist.
Smith was second behind Paul on 176 votes, with Matt Giteau following on 132 votes.
Chris Latham started the polling strongly, picking up 89 votes during last year's Spring Tour. However, Paul picked up 63 votes on that tour, then built a big lead throughout this year's Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.
His outstanding form and consistency saw him pick up regular votes, including 37 votes in the French Test and 44 votes in the Mandela Plate Test in Johannesburg.
Paul missed the last two Tri-Nations due to injury but had polled enough votes to hold off a fast-finishing George Smith.
John Eales presented the award to Paul tonight at a black tie dinner at Sydney's Horden Pavillion.
The Joe French Award, which recognises outstanding service to the Australian Rugby Union, was awarded to Andy Conway, the ARU's Head of Tours, Matches and Rugby Policy.
Conway held the voluntary role of Wallaby team manager from 1987 until 1990 and became an ARU employee when Rugby went professional. His responsibilities have ranged from working with the IRB on Rugby policy, planning and accommodating the needs of touring teams and more recently, balancing the demands of 14 teams, three National Unions and a three broadcasters to devise a schedule for the Tooheys New Super 14 for the next five years.
Meticulous, modest and admired by players and administrator alike, Conway's knowledge and history of the game is so critical in our modern professional game.
The 2005 Bundaberg Rum Rookie of the Year, judged by Wallaby coach Eddie Jones and his management team, was awarded to Drew Mitchell who lit up the field in his six appearances for the Qantas Wallabies this year.
Mitchell debuted as a replacement against South Africa in Sydney and celebrated his first Test try after beating Bryan Habana to score. Three Tests later he made his run-on debut against the All Blacks and scored a wonderful try, putting a big palm on flyhalf Dan Carter and beating fullback Mils Muliaina to the line.
The 2005 Bundaberg Rum Try of the Year was awarded to Lote Tuqiri by the Fox Sports commentary team for a fine team try against Italy in Melbourne. The ball went through three pairs of hands then on to Jeremy Paul who ran down the sideline and passed inside to Rocky Elsom who was tackled.
It was recycled quickly and went through four more sets of hands to Mat Rogers whose inside ball rebounded off an Italian defender and was snapped up by Stirling Mortlock who passed outside to Tuqiri. The flying winger then fended off a tackler and ran 25 metres to score. The Fox Sport commentators asked Tuqiri to accept the award on behalf of the team.
JOHN EALES MEDAL
2005 - Jeremy Paul
2004 - David Lyons
2003 - Phil Waugh
2002 - George Smith
JOE FRENCH AWARD
2005 - Andy Conway
2004 - Rod Macqueen
2003 - David Brockhoff
2002 - George Pippos OAM
2001 - not awarded
2000 - John Mulford
1999 - Bob Templeton
1998 - John Eales
1997 - Norbert Byrne
1996 - David Campese
1995 - Andrew Slack
BUNDABERG RUM ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
2005 - Drew Mitchell
2004 - Clyde Rathbone
2003 - Lote Tuqiri
2002 - Nathan Sharpe
BUNDABERG RUM TRY OF THE YEAR
Awarded to the player who made the biggest contribution to the try
2005 - Lote Tuqiri (scored by Lote Tuqiri v Italy, Telstra Dome)
2004 - Matt Giteau (scored by Clyde Rathbone v England, Suncorp Stadium)
2003 - Mat Rogers (scored by Matthew Burke v New Zealand, Telstra Stadium)
2002 - Ben Tune (scored by Ben Tune v Springboks, Brisbane)
