Cobar Rugby Club to host ‘Rugby’s Gentleman’ John Eales
Wednesday July 1, 2009
Members of the Cobar Rugby Club are still pinching themselves (just to make sure that the news is real) that Australian rugby legend John Eales will visit the club next year.
Rugby fanatic and Cobar Rugby Club life member Peter Payne, who sealed the Cobar appearance deal with Eales, said he is also still in shock after talking to one of his rugby heroes on the phone last week.
“I’d written to John Eales (addressing the letter to The Greatest Footballer in Australian Rugby History) not expecting to get a such a quick response and then got a call, not from his secretary or his agent, but from the man himself.
“I needed time to settle down after that unexpected telephone conversation with the ‘greatest Wallaby in Australian Rugby history’,” Mr Payne said.
Since the phone call, Mr Eales and Mr Payne have corresponded via email with a tentative date for the Eales visit set for February 2010.
“Having John Eales in our midst would be an occasion that will be a huge springboard for our 2010 season and for rugby union in general.”
Cobar Rugby Club president Stuart Long said securing John Eales as a guest of the Cobar Rugby Club was indeed great news.
“It’s beyond great really!”
Mr Long said he was confident the club could handle an event of this importance.
“Our members did a fantastic job with the 50 Years Reunion last year and there’s been a lot of work already done by the club in preparation for the Rugby 10s competition on the October weekend later this year,” Mr Long said.
“Peter has been working with another rugby club member, Sharon Harland, for a few months now on holding a sportsmans dinner.
“He’d almost secured Alan Jones as a guest speaker, however due to ill health, Alan had to cancel,” Mr Long said.
“But really having John Eales speak at our club would have to be the ultimate.”
John Eales was highly regarded both as a player and as a captain and is considered to be the greatest Wallaby to ever play for Australia, debuting in 1991 for a career that spanned 10 years. He wore the Golden Guernsey over 80 times, and is the highest scoring forward in test rugby history.
His goal kicking ability, along with a couple of test tries, rated him eighth on the all-time scoring list for Australia.
Eales captained for Australia a record 55 times and he played in an era of Australian success in world rugby, which included two Australian victories at the Rugby World Cup, first in 1991, and later when he was the skipper in 1999.
Since retiring, Eales has made a successful transition from the sporting arena to the business arena working in business consultancy, sports marketing and events.
Eales acted as a ‘rugby ambassador’ at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, which involved a number of media duties.
He is also a published author with his book, ‘Learning From Legends’ having a foreword written by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Eales gave his name to the John Eales Medal, annually awarded to the best Australian rugby union player.
In 1999 he was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the community and rugby.
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