Oracle of Delphi
Craig Hill2006 Rugby Medal for Excellence
December 6th 2006 12:56
...should always be awarded to Stephen Larkham!!!
(I swear this is not a Larkham-centric blog. Truly. Seriously though... Larkham should just get A Medal for Being...)
RUPA (The Australian Rugby Union Players Association) will be hosting its Christmas Lunch in Sydney on Friday 8th December. I won't be going because I...um...have loads of ironing to do.
The prestigious Rugby Medal for Excellence will be awarded to the player voted Most Excellent by his peers. The award will be presented by former Wallaby Captain Andrew Slack (1984 Grand Slam winning Captain).
The Finalists are:
George Gregan
(ACT Brumbies scrumhalf. yayyyy...Go Guv'ner!)
Stirling Mortlock
(ACT Brumbies inside centre and Captain sort of Steel)
Adam Freier
(NSW Waratahs hooker..get your minds out of the gutter non-rugby people)
David Croft
(Qld Reds flanker. No relation to Lara)
DuskDevi
(NSW dreamer. Needs therapy)
If Gregan (Rugby's most capped player ever...this means he has played more test matches than any other rugby player ever. 127 tests) wins, this will be the third time he will be awarded the Medal, having won it in 2001 and again in 2004. Nathan Sharpe (former NSW lock, now WA Force) is the only other two-timer (tee hee).
Supposedly Gregan faces stiff competition. Ya-huh. Whatever.
Mortlock may have been in form and became the 73rd Test Match Captain for The Wallabies Spring Tour and Freier may have been the NSW Player of the Year and Croft may have had an outstanding season but...they're not George Gregan.
Knock and call for his head all you want, o ye of little faith and lot of fickle...Gregan just keeps on proving his worth. He was sorely missed on the Spring Tour.
The RUPA Medal for Excellence recipient is voted by the players themselves.
From www.rupa.com.au
All 132 RUPA members from the ACT Brumbies, Western Force, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds were eligible to vote on a 3-2-1 basis prior the recent Wallaby spring tour of the United Kingdom, Italy and Ireland.
Players were asked to vote for a fellow player who they believed excelled on and off the field in 2006 in areas of performance, leadership, consistency and discipline plus their contribution to charitable work, vocational skills and their commitment to the development of the game.
RUPA Chief Executive, Mr Tony Dempsey, said the Medal for Excellence is a unique award in Australian sport and one of the most prestigious awards in Australian rugby.
“Unlike other awards, the Rugby Medal For Excellence recognises the players on-field prowess as well as their leadership, general behaviour, charitable work and commitment to the development of the game..."
“What makes this Award even more special is that the winner is judged by his peers – his fellow professional players."
“There can be no higher accolade than to be recognised and rewarded for your excellence by your fellow players,” added Mr Dempsey.
Gregan's got in the bag.
Unless Mortlock gets awarded for managing to stay injury free.
Then again...there's always me.
(I swear this is not a Larkham-centric blog. Truly. Seriously though... Larkham should just get A Medal for Being...)
RUPA (The Australian Rugby Union Players Association) will be hosting its Christmas Lunch in Sydney on Friday 8th December. I won't be going because I...um...have loads of ironing to do.
The prestigious Rugby Medal for Excellence will be awarded to the player voted Most Excellent by his peers. The award will be presented by former Wallaby Captain Andrew Slack (1984 Grand Slam winning Captain).
The Finalists are:
George Gregan
(ACT Brumbies scrumhalf. yayyyy...Go Guv'ner!)
Stirling Mortlock
(ACT Brumbies inside centre and Captain sort of Steel)
Adam Freier
(NSW Waratahs hooker..get your minds out of the gutter non-rugby people)
David Croft
(Qld Reds flanker. No relation to Lara)
DuskDevi
(NSW dreamer. Needs therapy)
If Gregan (Rugby's most capped player ever...this means he has played more test matches than any other rugby player ever. 127 tests) wins, this will be the third time he will be awarded the Medal, having won it in 2001 and again in 2004. Nathan Sharpe (former NSW lock, now WA Force) is the only other two-timer (tee hee).
Supposedly Gregan faces stiff competition. Ya-huh. Whatever.
Mortlock may have been in form and became the 73rd Test Match Captain for The Wallabies Spring Tour and Freier may have been the NSW Player of the Year and Croft may have had an outstanding season but...they're not George Gregan.
Knock and call for his head all you want, o ye of little faith and lot of fickle...Gregan just keeps on proving his worth. He was sorely missed on the Spring Tour.
The RUPA Medal for Excellence recipient is voted by the players themselves.
From www.rupa.com.au
All 132 RUPA members from the ACT Brumbies, Western Force, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds were eligible to vote on a 3-2-1 basis prior the recent Wallaby spring tour of the United Kingdom, Italy and Ireland.
Players were asked to vote for a fellow player who they believed excelled on and off the field in 2006 in areas of performance, leadership, consistency and discipline plus their contribution to charitable work, vocational skills and their commitment to the development of the game.
RUPA Chief Executive, Mr Tony Dempsey, said the Medal for Excellence is a unique award in Australian sport and one of the most prestigious awards in Australian rugby.
“Unlike other awards, the Rugby Medal For Excellence recognises the players on-field prowess as well as their leadership, general behaviour, charitable work and commitment to the development of the game..."
“What makes this Award even more special is that the winner is judged by his peers – his fellow professional players."
“There can be no higher accolade than to be recognised and rewarded for your excellence by your fellow players,” added Mr Dempsey.
Gregan's got in the bag.
Unless Mortlock gets awarded for managing to stay injury free.
Then again...there's always me.
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Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
They have no idea what they're doing if they don't vote for that excellent on-and-off-the-field team player ... DuskDevi
What more could you ask from one individual?
In fact, I have undercover information that George Gregan himself has placed a vote in favour of the outstanding work of Dusk.
The choice is not hard my friend. The case has been cracked.
Funny that ... even though he's not nominated, you still managed to mention SL. You clever possum, you.
A.H.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I think that you should get the medal for off-field support and dedication (and also for managing to mention Stephen Larkham in just about every post!).
I know nowhere near as much as you about the gentlemanly sport of rugby, you great rugby master you, but I also agree that Gregan has it in the bag.
KylieW
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Thank you. Thank you.
And thanks.
You set me off again.
Sigh.
I will not say that word. I will not say that other word. I will not write Stephen Larkham.
Whoops. Sorry.
Kinda hard to crack that habit.
your MOSTEST UnLtd sis
Dusk
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
(read Eric's post....saw your very eloquent and intelligent comment re multiple comments...feeling guilty ...but I too do this not for votes but out of respect and courtesy)
Thankyavereemuch.
(hip snivel. snarl)
Seriously...thank you Kylie for your lovely words...now could you please call RUPA and tell them...kidding! Sort of.
I'm glad you agree re Gregan. He rocks! Or rather... he rucks!
And I don't mention Stephen Larkham every time. I have written many posts that do not have a single reference to Stephen Larkham. I am also able to comment without making a reference to Stephen Larkham.
Good to see you KylieW
DuskDevi
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
My Girls,
Stop it, you two!!!
The Angel that Can't Stop Laughing,
K.L.
xoxo
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Have I ever told you how much I enjoy who you are?
Dusk