Adam Ashley-Cooper says the tragic death of a former teammate and leading Sydney referee is a poignant reminder of just how fortunate he is to vice-captain the Wallabies in pursuit of Rugby World Cup glory.
Guy Grinham, who grew up playing with and against Ashley-Cooper, died this week at just 31 after battling cancer.
But the father-of-two lived out one final dream last Saturday when he watched on from the stands at Twickenham as Ashley-Cooper starred in Australia’s epic Pool A-deciding win over Wales.
Ashley-Cooper climbed deep into the famous stands to celebrate with Grinham and says his friend’s plight “puts life into perspective”.
“We are very lucky. It is truly a sad story but it was awesome to share that moment with him after the game,” Ashley-Cooper told AAP.
“His wife told me that he spoke to her about how happy he was from being at the game and being part of that win before he would finally be at rest.”
Ashley-Cooper, 31 like Grinham, will surpass the great George Smith as Australia’s third-most-capped player when the Wallabies take on Scotland on Sunday night (2am Monday AEDT) for a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
Only 1999 World Cup-winning captain George Gregan, with 139 caps, and Nathan Sharp (116) have played more Tests than Ashley-Cooper, who will be wearing the gold jumper for the 112th time.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Six months after the Wallabies’ worst World Cup result, Rugby Australia has announced a $9.2 million deficit from the 2023 season. The Roar can…
In 15 minutes, Tim Ryan didn’t just put a smile on Joe Schmidt’s face, he announced himself to the Australian public by scoring a…
Written off ahead of the weekend in several quarters, the Crusaders have responded with full vengeance after smashing the fourth-placed Rebels 39-0 in an…
Ned Hanigan is one of the in-form forwards in Australian rugby who looks set to finally turn promise into quality on the international stage,…
As calls grow for the entire Rugby Australia board to be overthrown, new chairman Daniel Herbert described the agitators behind the movement as hypocrites…
Three things in the world of rugby have caught my eye this week, and got me thinking very hard about the way forward, and…
