Phil Kearns was the prototype of the new-age hooker in Australia when he burst onto the scene as a bullocking, ball-handling runner to go with his set piece strengths.
He appeared too unscarred for the front-row when he made his Test debut in 1989 when plucked from Randwick reserve grade.
The Roar is counting down the Wallabies’ Greatest World Cup XV of all time from No. 15-1 with thanks to thousands of votes from our readers.
He was just 22 and a “fresh faced cherub” by the reckoning of prop Tony Daly, who also made his debut that day against the All Blacks in front of more than 45,000 fans at Eden Park.
In just over two years of Test education, the duo absorbed all the hard lessons and gave out plenty themselves to become World Cup champions in 1991.
Kearns was a force at the 1991 tournament in a front-row that commanded respect. The No.2 jersey is his in The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies RWC XV.
Kearns was integral to that success and his mentality definitely played a part. Daly again gave some sharp insights in Road To Victory: The Wallabies’ Story.
Daly wrote that Kearns had a “determination and perfectionism second to none” as “the most competitive person I have ever met.”
“He has an arrogance about him which shouldn’t be taken the wrong way but admired because it is all part of his willingness to succeed,” Daly added.
That trait bubbled famously to the surface as payback at Wellington’s Athletic Park in 1990. Renowned All Blacks rival Sean Fitzpatrick had been niggling Kearns since his 1989 debut with taunts like “you’re just a baby.”
Kearns barged over for a try from a lineout in Wellington and gave the prone Fitzpatrick a two-fingered salute as the Wallabies marched to victory.
Phil Kearns (Photo by Getty Images)
The back-slapping society finished there from Daly who also made sure the playful gags of the day surfaced too. Two Kearns’ nicknames within the Wallabies both referred to lineout misfires…“Scud” (his throws miss the target by miles like the missile) and “Lightning” (never strikes twice in the same place).
The 67-Test figure played at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa and shared a second World Cup success in 1999.
Unfortunately, his 1999 role was cut short after just two appearances in the pool stages when he ruptured a ligament in his foot against Ireland. It was to be his final Test.
Kearns had no soft spot for Ireland hooker Keith Wood so playful teammates decided he should endure a life-sized cutout of his Irish foe on the team bus just to bug him. The Kearns sense of humour was directed at others so it was all fair game to get him back.
As Executive Director of Australia’s 2027 RWC Bid, Kearns was back in the trenches playing a major role in helping to woo World Rugby’s powerbrokers.
The success in winning hosting rights is only the start. Having a new and expanded wave of boys and girls taking to the game he loves means everything.
“Absolutely the No.1 reason I did this job was to try to get a base point to rebuild rugby in this country,” Kearns said.
“With the 2027 World Cup, we are talking participant numbers going up 30 per cent and that’s players, referees, administrators, volunteers and so on.
“To have the World Cup to inspire those people is crucial. The heart and soul of the game is club rugby be it subbies, Hospital Cup, Shute Shield and so on.
“If World Cup 2027 can inspire, that’s the job.”
Phil Kearns is your choice of No.2 for The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV, powered by ASICS, the Official Performance Apparel and Footwear supplier for the Wallabies. Kearns won with 54.1% of the vote, followed by Stephen Moore and Jeremy Paul. Check back tomorrow to find out who was selected at No.1.
The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV
- Fullback: Matthew Burke
- Right Winger: Ben Tune
- Outside Centre: Stirling Mortlock
- Inside Centre: Tim Horan
- Left Winger: David Campese
- Fly-half: Stephen Larkham
- Scrum-half: George Gregan
- Number Eight: Toutai Kefu
- Openside Flanker: George Smith
- Blindside Flanker: Owen Finegan
- Second Row: John Eales (c)
- Second Row: Dan Vickerman
- Tight Head Prop: Ewen McKenzie
- Hooker: Phil Kearns
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
No doubt he was tough. Any player who comes back from a broken skull, courtesy of a French boot, will not have his toughness or courage questioned.
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Nope, you need to go back a bit further. there was a Queenslander by the name of Mark McBain. he was the toughest Wallaby hooker I ever sore. If you ask Simon Poidervan I bet he will say the same thing.
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Cannon's selection over Paul in 2003 was the greatest travesty ever in Australia's WC history in my opinion. It still burns me to this day and we lost Paul way to early because of it. At the time JP wasn't ranked in the top 5 hookers! Absolute BS and clearly there was something else going on. i would say the same for a hooker by the name of Marco Caputo who also deserved many more starts in the Wallabies jersey.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Is it surprising that most players in a greatest World Cup team played in teams that won the World Cup?
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Sliding Doors moment: in a parallel universe Eddie Jones was Wallaby hooker in 1991
Ben Pobjie
Expert
It’s a World Cup team.
John Mendoza
Roar Rookie
Jim where’s Mark Loane and Topo Rodriguez? Arr they not considered as they played entirely in the amateur era?
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Great choice but I’d go Stephen Moore myself but pretty close.
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Yeah at the beginning he would be the Aussie hooker and then return back to Randwick 2nd grade behind Eddie Jones.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Lawton was quintessential Aussie hooker…Pedigree ,born in Darwin and one big lump of a man…loved Lawton.
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Foley and Cannon over Tom Lawton?
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Sorry you feel like that Markus.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
It’s not that he didn’t get the vote, more that Kearns followed the way Lawton transformed the 2 role.
Don
Roar Rookie
Problem for Lawton votes is, it is based on RWC performances only. I'd opt for him over Kearns too, but he only played the 1987 RWC and we were knocked out in the semi.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Not as exciting as others but gee he did the core role well. From a time where you knew a tight forward had a good game because you never saw him.
Olly
Roar Rookie
:thumbup:
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Wonder why people all think Kearns was clearly better than Moore, or even Paul. But a point that stands out about this selection - nearly all players who learned their game in Australia in the amateur era, and most played in it. (Youngest is George Smith, born 1980.) Wonder what that tells us? Possibly a reflection of how Australian rugby has gone downhill in the professional era: failure to recruit at the grassroots and to keep head above water vs NRL and AFL. While other countries have forged ahead and professionalism has attracted a wider pool of recruits. Also possibly a reflection of an older demographic on the Roar? Kearns’s selection smells a bit like that. Finegan and Tune also.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Cannon was a thug. His actual rugby skills were about as strong as his sucker punches.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Foley a very technically good hooker, but probably not as irreplaceable in his teams as others. Especially with Jeremy Paul on the bench who would have been my preferred starter for the 1999 campaign (noting both were good options). I'd definitely score Foley over Cannon though, whose selection over Paul for the 2003 RWC was far more questionable.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day Jim. Interesting opening sentence, though I would have had the name Tom Lawton. Surprised that Brendon Cannon didn’t rate higher. I think he was one of the toughest 2s we’ve ever had, but no one could deny Kearnsey’s choice as our No. 1.