With all the concern being expressed at the moment for the Parramatta District club, and the struggle of some Australian franchises in super rugby, I thought I would rewind the clock back to 1971 and share with fellow Roarers how the rugby landscape looked back then.
Internationally, 1971 was not a good year for the Wallabies. Our national team was at a low ebb.
Individually we had some excellent players, but overall our technical deficiencies in the forwards would become more critical in the next few years.
There was the protest tour by the South African Springboks. There were public images of barbed wire, smoke bombs and mass protests, which would be even more violent in New Zealand in 1981.
The three tests were all lost 11-19, 6-14 and 6-18.
The Wallabies tried their hearts out, but were simply not good enough.
Later the Wallabies toured France, splitting the series one win apiece, winning the 1st test 13-11 but losing the 2nd test 9-18. Bob Templeton was coach in France after fellow Queenslander Des Connor stepped down after the Boks series.
On their Australian tour, the Boks played 13 matches: 1-WA, 2-SA, 3-Victoria, 4-Sydney, 5-New South Wales, 6-NSW Country, 7-1st Test, 8-ACT, 9-Queensland, 10-Junior Wallabies, 11-2nd Test, 12-Qld Country, 13-3rd Test.
At state level, Queensland pulled off a shock 15-11 win against the British and Irish Lions, but NSW went down to the Lions 12-14. Queensland’s best player, centre and captain Barry Honan, suffered a serious knee injury which saw him ineligible for Wallaby selection.
NSW won the interstate series easily 35-6 and 38-19.
Mid-season saw the introduction of the 4 point try, which was in widespread use in the northern hemisphere 1971/72 and in the southern hemisphere by 1972.
Here’s the big news: in 1971 the Sydney Shute Shield District Club competition was expanded to 14 teams with the introduction of Port Hacking and Warringah. It says something for the depth and spread of rugby in 1971 that Sydney could facilitate a 14 team grade comp.
Defending premiers, then like now, was Sydney University, but they just missed the final 4.
Randwick won the premiership, with champion halfback Ken Catchpole making a successful comeback from injury. Catchpole had suffered serious leg injuries in 1968 when All Blacks legend Colin Mead basically split his legs pulling one out of a ruck, and the other being trapped.
Randwick beat Manly 21-3 in the grand final, with Easts finishing 3rd and Gordon 4th. Easts and Gordon shared the Club Championship (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade).
The 14 Sydney Shute Shield clubs in order of first grade finish were – Randwick, Manly, Eastern Suburbs, Gordon, Sydney University, Drummoyne, Northern Suburbs, Parramatta, Western Suburbs, St.George, Port Hacking, Eastwood, NSW University, Warringah.
There was also a 10 team second division comp, first grade being won by Hawkesbury AC over minor premiers Mosman. Canterbury and Dundas Valley were the other semi-finalists.
Other matches in NSW included Sydney North Harbour against Sydney South Harbour, and Combined Sydney against NSW Country.
Up in Brisbane, Brothers won the Hospitals Cup grand final from minor premiers Easts, with GPS and Qld University filling in the other semi-final positions. The remaining clubs in the 7 team comp were: Teachers, Souths and Wests. Clearly Qld have come a long way on the club front!
In 1971 there was also what might be known as the first attempt at a national competition: the Wallaby Trophy. Queensland won the first division by beating Sydney, NSW Country and Victoria.
The second division was won by WA from SA and Tasmania.
Back in 1971, the ARU selected its 5 players of the year: Frik du Preez(Boks), Jan Ellis(Boks), Hannais Marais(Boks), Greg Davis(Wallabies) and Peter Sullivan(Wallabies). Marais and Davis were the respective Springboks and Wallabies captains.
The ARU also announced its best XV for 1971: 15-Arthur McGill(vc-NSW), 14-John Cole(NSW), 13-David L’Estrange(Qld), 12-Geoff Shaw (NSW), 11-Jeff McLean(Qld), 10-Russell Fairfax(NSW), 9-John Hipwell(NSW), 8-Bob McLean(NSW), 7-Greg Davis(c-NSW), 6-Peter Sullivan(NSW), 5-Owen Butler(ACT), 4-Stu Gregory(Qld), 3-Roy Prosser(NSW), 2-Peter Johnson(NSW), 1-David Dunworth(Qld).
Finally in 1971, although an Australian schoolboys team had been selected to tour South Africa in 1969, this was the first year NSW played Qld at this level. The NSW team was skippered by 1969 tourist and centre Malcolm Jack from Balgowlah High School. I’m pleased to say the team contained two players from my alma mater – Waverley College – in slippery halfback Kevin Kelly and goalkicking prop Mick Jarvis.
Sydney High School won the GPS competition, while Waverley won the CAS comp.
Todd Cross
Roar Rookie
Hi looking Iam for copies of the Shute sheild grand finals of 1966 Eastwood vs Randwick an a copy of the 1971 grand final Randwick vs Manly which my farther played in both these games , I would love to see them , if any one has an could please help thankyou Todd Cross toddcross52@gmail.com
garrick fay
Guest
Roy prosser from northern Suburbs Rugby Club, Sydney
Allen field
Guest
As I recall it was Peter Waterhouse not R Waterhouse also nick named Shack that went to North Sydney boys high who kicked a sensational field goal in the final of the Waratah shield,
Brupey
Guest
Dugald Clark wasn't playing that day! Lloyd Graham kicked that field goal - he got 2 that day - he's the fullback whose name you can't remember.
RB
Guest
Just came across this.. how the memories fly. A couple of things.. Hippy's pass was a wrist-tlick, not the torpedo (usually) as Thurston elegantly states. To cut it short, Hippy knew the art of halfback play, whereas Nick held himself out more as a team leader, and played the game from halfback in that fashion. Many regard Nick as one of our greats but in fact his service could be quite slow: many were quicker. Carson's pass is worth a mention here as well. My history was playing in the kids Canberra Saturday mornings comp (for norths) and Owen Butler's wife taught me at Primary School. I went on to captain ACT and NSW in schoolboys for some years - in those days you were selected for NSW from ACT; ie, ACT was a stepping stone. Had the great pleasure of playing with Rossco Lynch not too long after. Man, that guy likes a beer! Thanks for the memories.. all wonderful names and a better game, back then. Cheers all
John
Guest
Merrylands has a better field than Parramatta now, and they are a third division club. Another third division club, Balmain, has a current Waratah on its strength!
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
Perhaps Canterbury should offer the 2 Blues their ground to use? :)
mattamkII
Guest
Sheek, sorry for later reply but my PC has sh*t itself. Anyway, my point was more directed at Jock really. The game is now played/watched by more people, there are more tries scored and we have several new countries involved at higher levels of the code....so how can it be in worse shape than 1971. Re: players sizes. Players are bigger now because of training methods. Sure Gen X and Y are taller than others before them but the bulk comes from training...my point is Cathpole would have been put on a diet and weights program to lift is size...so there would have been a place for him. PS. I was reading the other day that the late Gen Y's and current Gen Z's are actually shorter than Gen X's.
Crashy
Guest
Jock M - you would have to agree that defences coming on in leaps and bounds has caused such a drastic change to the game. Like you I love the sight of 75 kg wingers darting through turnstile-like defence but without the game going pro it would cease to exist. League would have swallowed it. 2010 should ( and is already proving to be) a much better season than that shocker called 2009. Lets have some positivity.
Lindommer
Guest
R. Waterhouse (North Sydney BHS) could that be the bookmaker? Would be about the right age.
bozo
Guest
Rob - Malcolm Jack and Peter Marshall both went to Balgowlah Boys. May be the connection.
RickG
Guest
Cheers Sheek.
sheek
Guest
Rob, Very good. Andrews, Lynch & Jack were the NSW 10, 12 & 13, so your memory is very good. Perhaps the biggest name from that first ever NSW schoolboys team was Allan McMahon who played rugby league with Balmain for a long time, also Newtown & Canberra as well as representing the Kangaroos. From memory, Qld won this clash narrowly, with a couple of Nudgee boys named Mark Loane & Paul McLean in their team. Thanks to the 1971 Australian Schoolboys Yearbook, here is the NSW team: 15-Kevin O'Hara (St.Josephs C), 14-W.Hatton (Punchbowl Boys HS), 13-Malcolm Jack (c-Balgowlah HS), 12-Ross Lynch (Epping Boys HS), 11-Allan McMahon (Chevalier C), 10-Grant Andrews (Ku-ring-gai HS), 9-Kevin Kelly(Waverley C), 8-Gary Moses(St.Josephs C), 7-A.Frank (Scots C), 6-B.Buchan (Sydney Tech HS), 5- Brian Weir (Scots C), 4-Peter Cavanagh (St.Aloysius C), 3-Mick Jarvis (Waverley C), 2-M. Gunthorpe (Kings S), 1-K.Spargo (Crows Nest Boys HS). Reserves: 16- C.Staff (Oakhill C), 17- R.Waterhouse (North Sydney Boys HS).
Rob
Guest
Sheek, I've got memorabilia boxed away somewhere that I couldn't find in ages but bearing in mind that my memory will play tricks I'd like to throw in a couple of other names for you. In that CHS 1st side maybe either Ross( I think Ross) Lynch or Peter Marshall was at 12. Peter Marshall went on to referee fame He may have been in the 2nds but a few people around that time thought his play was instrumental in making Malcolm Jack look even better. Malcolm was a tall strong straight runner who relished being put in holes by the man inside. Ross Lynch played for Eastwood The other name is Grant Andrews-a 5/8. I think he may have been the CHS 5/8 that day.Slaggy Miller told me once that he thought Grant Andrews should have been a Wallaby but other reasons that we won't go into here stopped that.
Even looser
Guest
Absolutely true that some of us are never happy. However, here sit I chuckling away at that marvellous YouTube skit. Well done.
sheek
Guest
RickG, According to my battered copy of Australian Rugby Yearbook 1971, Port Hacking's home ground is listed as Sylvania Waters, which I believe to be Forshaw Park. St.George played out of Hurstville Oval. Port Hacking played in a predominately sky blue jumper with black & white trimming, & black shorts. St.George played in a white jersey with single broad red hoop & red shorts. I think..... Port Hacking was founded by Cronulla lifesavers in 1962. In their first season of Shute Shield, the 1st grade played 19, won 5, drew one & lost 13. Warringah was similarly founded by northern beaches lifesavers in 1963. In their first season of Shute Shield they did it much tougher, winning just one solitary match in 1971. According to historian Jack Pollard, Southern Districts was formed in 1989, or at least in time for the beginning of that season.
Thurston
Guest
SHEEK - In those days the backs stood closer together when a scrum went down, and the long torpedo pass hadn't yet come into fashion. Consquently, Hipwell was able to use his wrists to somehow squirt the ball to his 5/8 like a bar of soap. It was the best service I've ever seen and the fastest as no step or steps had to be taken to deliver the ball. Just a sideways stride. I saw NFJ play tests and many times for Uni, and he was the most relaxed of the halfbacks. Brian Cox, who'd you'd remember from your old Easts days, had an excellent service. And speaking of Easts, as a measure of how much the game has changed, Perce Newton was captain for many years, back in the days when little more was required of a forward than he be a hard-working plodder. You have to be big and fast now.
sheek
Guest
Rob, More trivia..... I was at the CAS v CHS schoolboys match at Cranbrook 1971. I can't remember the actual score, but from memory, CHS won although it was one try apiece. The score was something like 11-6 (3 point tries). For me, the main interest (& for many other people knowledgeable of the circumstances) in the match was the clash of the two 13s & captains - Malcolm Jack & Paul Rynehart. Rynehart was from my school. Twice during the season he scored 3 tries in a match - first against Joeys no less, & later against Barker. Rynehart was short but built like a brick shithouse, with a low centre of gravity. He was also the NSW state open schoolboys 100m champion. Jack was tall & slim with a beautiful long stride, & had been an Australian schoolboy to South Africa in 1969. The two captains shadowed each other like preying hawks, & each slipped the other once. Jack beat Rynehart to score a long distance try, about 60 metres I think. Rynehart beat Jack about 40 metres out to set his winger up for a try. It was a great disappointment when Rynehart didn't make the NSW schoolboys team even on the wing. Sorry, I guess this kind of memory is a bit self-indulgent.....
RickG
Guest
Great article once again Sheek! This stuff fills in the gaps in my knowledge. I was interested to see Port Hacking entered the comp in '71. I'm a former shire boy and southern districts supporter. Can anyone tell me where they played their home games before they merged with St George in '88? Was it Foreshore Park?
Rob
Guest
Sheek, a bit more trivia. In 1971 City schools played Country schools at the SCG before a Wales vs either Syd. or NSW--I can't remember. Also CHS that year played Duntroon at Chatswood Oval, CHS Old Boys at Milner, Sydney Teachers College at Syd Uni (quite a few ring ins there ) and CAS at Cranbrook. GPS wouldn't play us because we were too strong.