RIP Ken Catchpole

[rowan]

Wallabies legend Ken Catchpole has died aged 78.

Catchpole, who played 27 Tests from 1961 including 13 as captain, is revered as one of Australian rugby’s greatest players.

It is understood he has died after a long battle with illness on Thursday.

The champion halfback began his career with Sydney club side Randwick, where he played more than 180 games and is considered one of their greatest players.

Known for his pace, accurate passing and clever opportunism, he rose to become a giant of the sport and was inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013.

He is among the youngest Wallabies skippers, taking up the role on his Test debut at 21 years and 354 days.

Catchpole is immortalised with a statue outside Allianz Stadium, while the Shute Shield’s most valuable player award honours his name.

He was an inaugural inductee of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1988.

His playing career was ended at just 28 when he sustained a severe hamstring injury in a tackle from All Blacks legend Colin Meads.

Rugby Australia Board Director and former Wallabies Captain, Paul McLean said: “Ken wasn’t just a remarkable rugby player but also a remarkable man.

“He’ll be fondly remembered as one of our best and his records will live long at Randwick, New South Wales and the Wallabies.

“Ken had a real aura about him both on and off the field. He might have been small in stature but you knew when Ken was in the room by the respect he commanded.

“On behalf of the entire Australian Rugby community, I want to pass on our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.”

Catchpole is the second former Wallaby being mourned this week, after 18-Test prop and Queensland great Stan Pilecki, who died aged 70.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... es-aged-78

[Spiffy]

Wallabies legend Ken Catchpole has died aged 78.

Catchpole, who played 27 Tests from 1961 including 13 as captain, is revered as one of Australian rugby’s greatest players.

It is understood he has died after a long battle with illness on Thursday.

The champion halfback began his career with Sydney club side Randwick, where he played more than 180 games and is considered one of their greatest players.

Known for his pace, accurate passing and clever opportunism, he rose to become a giant of the sport and was inducted in the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013.

He is among the youngest Wallabies skippers, taking up the role on his Test debut at 21 years and 354 days.

Catchpole is immortalised with a statue outside Allianz Stadium, while the Shute Shield’s most valuable player award honours his name.

He was an inaugural inductee of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1988.

His playing career was ended at just 28 when he sustained a severe hamstring injury in a tackle from All Blacks legend Colin Meads.

Rugby Australia Board Director and former Wallabies Captain, Paul McLean said: “Ken wasn’t just a remarkable rugby player but also a remarkable man.

“He’ll be fondly remembered as one of our best and his records will live long at Randwick, New South Wales and the Wallabies.

“Ken had a real aura about him both on and off the field. He might have been small in stature but you knew when Ken was in the room by the respect he commanded.

“On behalf of the entire Australian Rugby community, I want to pass on our thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones.”

Catchpole is the second former Wallaby being mourned this week, after 18-Test prop and Queensland great Stan Pilecki, who died aged 70.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... es-aged-78

Great player, perhaps the best Oz SH, including Farr-Jones, Gregan and Genia. And one of the best ever half back pairings with the classy Phil Hawthorne, who went on to play RL, and died of lukemia in 1994 at age 50.
Just for the sake of accuracy/historical fact - it was not a "tackle" from All Blacks Legend Colin Meads that ended his career. The diminutive Catchpole was trapped at the bottom of a ruck at the time and had his hamstring ripped off the bone, plus additional injuries to the groin.

[rowan]

Before my time, but I seem to recall renowned NZ rugby author & historian TP McLean writing that Pinetree was having a pretty good yank on Catchpole's leg at the time, and continued even when the diminutive Aussie screamed at him to stop. I seem to recall also that TP wrote this was an incident he could never forgive the big man for. Harsh words indeed, and he was an eye-witness.

[morepork]

That assault on Catchpole by Meads ended Catchpole's career and should have ended Mead's. Pretty fucking bad form.