- Clive Churchill
-
Clive Churchill 
Personal information Full name Clive Bernard Churchill Nickname The Little Master[1][2] Born 21 January 1927
Merewether, New South Wales, AustraliaDied 9 August 1985 (aged 58)
Sydney, AustraliaPlaying information Height 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) Weight 76 kg (12 st 0 lb) Position Fullback Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1946–47 Central Newcastle 1947–58 South Sydney 157 13 77 0 193 1959 Norths (Brisbane) 1961 Moree Total 157 13 77 0 193 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1949–57 New South Wales 37 77 1948–57 Australia 37 0 10 0 20 1959 Queensland 1 0 0 0 0 Coaching information Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1958 South Sydney 18 6 0 12 33 1959 Norths (Brisbane) 1964 Canterbury-Bankstown 18 1 1 16 6 1967–75 South Sydney 211 136 3 72 64 Total 247 143 4 100 58 Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 1959 Queensland 3 2 0 1 67 1952–1963 Australia 29 15 1 13 52 Source: NRL Stats Clive Bernard Churchill AM (21 January 1927 – 9 August 1985) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach of the mid-20th century. An Australian international and New South Wales and Queensland interstate representative fullback, he played the majority of his club football with and later coached the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He won five premierships with the club as a player and three more as coach. Retiring as the most capped Australian Kangaroos player ever, Churchill is thus considered one of the game's greatest ever players[3] and the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match in the NRL grand final bears his name. Churchill's attacking flair as a player is credited with having changed the role of the fullback.[4]
Contents
Club career
Clive Churchill was born in Merewether, New South Wales, a star schoolboy five-eighth at Marist Brothers Hamilton where he won five premierships while at school. The brothers at his school banned him from playing with Central Newcastle juniors and as a result he only appeared for them a handful of times.[2] In 1946 he was graded with Central in the Newcastle competition as a fullback.
He represented for Country Seconds in 1946 and came to the attention of Sydney talent scouts. He was signed to South Sydney by their patron Dave Spring and moved to Sydney at the start of the 1947 season. He would spend twelve seasons with the club playing 164 games.
He won five premierships with Souths in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954 and 1955. He missed the 1952 premiership as he was away on the Kangaroo tour to England and missed the final in 1955 due to injury (he played the entire semi-final against Manly with a broken arm, winning the game with a successful sideline conversion kicked after the full-time bell with his broken arm wrapped in cardboard).
In 1959 Churchill captain-coached Brisbane Norths to a premiership. He retired from playing at the end of the season although in 1961 he played a swansong season in the outback town of Moree, New South Wales.
Clive Churchill wearing Australian team jerseyRepresentative career
Churchill played 34 Tests for Australia and the 1954 World Cup series. He captained Australia in 24 Test matches over a period of six years which including three series against Great Britain. Churchill played his final test for Australia on the 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour.
He also played 37 games for New South Wales the standing record for most games by a player for the state (ahead of Langlands and Ray Stehr).
Coach
Churchill, widely renowned for his coaching career, toured Europe with the 1959 Kangaroos as non-playing coach.[5] In 1967 Churchill was appointed coach of South Sydney. He had immediate success, the Rabbitohs winning the premiership in his inaugural year as coach. He steered the Rabbitohs to four premiership victories out of five grand final appearances between 1967 and 1971. Churchill resigned as coach of the Rabbitohs during the 1975 season.
Churchill also had success in coaching the Queensland and Australian teams. Churchill was also commemorated as one of Australias most successful coaches.
Accolades
Clive Churchill in action for the Rabbitohs
Australian national rugby league captainOn 10 June 1985 Churchill was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to sport, particularly Rugby League Football and to the community". Also that year he was selected by the respected publication Rugby League Week as one of the initial four post-war “Immortals” of the Australian game alongside Fulton, Raper and Gasnier.[2]
In 1986 the newly built Clive Churchill Stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground was named in his honour. He is one of only six sportsmen and two rugby league players to have a stand at the SCG named after him. The Clive Churchill Medal has, since 1986, been awarded annually to the player judged best on ground in the season's Grand Final. A plaque in the Walk of Honour at the Sydney Cricket Ground commemorates his career as not only a great player but as an alltime great coach.
In 2002 Churchill was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and was later named in the South Sydney team of the Century.
In 2007 Churchill was selected by a panel of experts at fullback in an Australian 'Team of the 50s'.[6]
In February 2008, Churchill was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.[7][8] Churchill went on to be named as fullback in Australian rugby league's Team of the Century. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panels' majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players.[9][10]
See also
References
- ^ Toby Creswell and Samantha Trenoweth (2006). 1001 Australians You Should Know. Australia: Pluto Press. pp. 654. ISBN 1864033614, 9781864033618. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QqtinbjO0oEC&vq=rugby&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
- ^ a b c The Herald (5 February 2008). "Famous deeds, names mark NRL golden age". TheHerald.com.au. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/famous-deeds-names-mark-nrl-golden-age/682411.aspx. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ Century's Top 100 Players
- ^ Middleton, David (2008). League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia. National Museum of Australia. pp. 31. ISBN 978-1-876944-64-3. http://www.nma.gov.au/shared/libraries/attachments/league_of_legends/rugby_league_a_work_in_progress/files/22453/F_RL_work_in_progress.pdf.
- ^ Ricketts, Steve (27 August 2009). "Darren Lockyer to overtake Clive Churchill on Four Nations tour". The Courier Mail (Queensland Newspapers). http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25984977-10389,00.html. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- ^ {{Cite news He is also regarded as one of the greatest coaches ever. | last = AAP | first = | coauthors = | title = Team of the 50s named | work = The Daily Telegraph | place = Australia | page = | language = | publisher = News Limited | date = 1 August 2007 | url = http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/team-of-the-50s-named/story-e6frexnr-1111114085439 | accessdate = 6 October 2010}}
- ^ Peter Cassidy (23 February 2008). "Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players". Macquarie National News. http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ "Centenary of Rugby League – The Players". NRL & ARL. 23 February 2008. http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ Todd Balym (17 April 2008). "Johns, Meninga among Immortals". Fox Sports Australia. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
- ^ "Team of the Century Announced". NRL & ARL. 17 April 2008. http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
External links
- Clive Churchill at souths.com.au
- Clive Churchill biography at Sport Australia Hall of Fame
- Clive Churchill at rl1908.com
- Clive Churchill at eraofthebiff.com
The Australian Rugby League Team of the Century 1908–2007 1. Clive Churchill • 2. Brian Bevan • 3. Reg Gasnier • 4. Mal Meninga • 5. Ken Irvine • 6. Wally Lewis • 7. Andrew Johns
8. Arthur Beetson • 9. Noel Kelly • 10. Duncan Hall • 11. Norm Provan • 12. Ron Coote • 13. Johnny Raper
14. Graeme Langlands • 15. Dally Messenger • 16. Bob Fulton • 17. Frank Burge
Coach: Jack GibsonThe Immortals Arthur Beetson • Clive Churchill • Bob Fulton • Reg Gasnier • Graeme Langlands • Wally Lewis • Johnny Raper
Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 The New South Wales rugby league team of the century 1908–2007 1. Clive Churchill • 2. Ken Irvine • 3. Reg Gasnier • 4. Graeme Langlands • 5. Dally Messenger • 6. Bob Fulton • 7. Andrew Johns
8. Frank Burge • 9. Sandy Pearce • 10. Glenn Lazarus • 11. Ron Coote • 12. Norm Provan • 13. John Raper
14. Wally Prigg • 15. Dave Brown • 16. Steve Rogers • 17. Roy BullSouth Sydney Rabbitohs squad – 1971 NSWRFL Premiers (20th Title) 1 Eric Simms • 2 Keith Edwards • 3 Paul Sait • 4 Bob Honan • 5 Ray Branighan • 6 Denis Pittard • 7 Bob Grant
• 8 John Sattler • 9 George Piggins • 10 John O'Neill • 11 Bob McCarthy • 12 Gary Stevens • 13 Ron Coote
• Coach: Clive ChurchillSouth Sydney Rabbitohs squad – 1970 NSWRFL Premiers (19th Title) 1 Eric Simms • 2 Michael Cleary • 3 Paul Sait • 4 Arthur Branighan • 5 Ray Branighan • 6 Denis Pittard • 7 Bob Grant
• 8 John Sattler • 9 Elwyn Walters • 10 John O'Neill • 11 Bob McCarthy • 12 Gary Stevens • 13 Ron Coote
• 14 Bob Honan
• Coach: Clive ChurchillSouth Sydney squad - 1968 NSWRFL Premiers (18th title) 1. Eric Simms • 2. Michael Cleary • 3. Bob Honan • 4. Arthur Branighan • 5. Brian James • 6. Denis Pittard • 7. Bob Grant
8. Jim Morgan • 9. Elwyn Walters • 10. John O'Neill • 11. John Sattler • 12. Bob Moses • 13. Ron Coote
14. Paul Sait • Coach: Clive ChurchillSouth Sydney squad - 1967 NSWRFL Premiers (17th title) 1. Kevin Longbottom • 2. Brian James • 3. Eric Simms • 4. Bob Moses • 5. Michael Cleary • 6. Jim Lisle • 7. Ivan Jones
8. John Sattler • 9. Elwyn Walters • 10. John O'Neill • 11. Bob McCarthy • 12. Alan Scott • 13. Ron Coote
Coach: Clive ChurchillSouth Sydney squad - 1954 NSWRFL Premiers (15th title) 1. Clive Churchill • 2. Ian Moir • 3. Martin Gallagher • 4. Greg Hawick • 5. Les Brennan • 6. John Dougherty • 7. Ray Mason
8. Denis Donoghue • 9. Ernie Hammerton • 10. Jim Wilson • 11. Bernie Purcell • 12. Jack Rayner (Ca./Co.) • 13. Les CowieSouth Sydney squad - 1953 NSWRFL Premiers (14th title) 1. Clive Churchill • 2. Ian Moir • 3. Martin Gallagher • 4. Kevin Woolfe • 5. Fred Threlfo • 6. John Dougherty • 7. Ray Mason
8. Denis Donoghue • 9. Ernie Hammerton • 10. Jim Richards • 11. Bob Moon • 12. Jack Rayner (Ca./Co.) • 13. Les CowieSouth Sydney squad - 1951 NSWRFL Premiers (13th title) 1. Clive Churchill • 2. John Graves • 3. Kevin Woolfe • 4. Milton Atkinson • 5. Harry Wells • 6. Norm Spillane • 7. Ray Mason
8. Denis Donoghue • 9. Ernie Hammerton • 10. Bryan Orrock • 11. Bernie Purcell • 12. Jack Rayner (Capt./Coach) • 13. Les CowieSouth Sydney squad - 1950 NSWRFL Premiers (12th title) 1. Clive Churchill • 2. John Graves • 3. Kevin Woolfe • 4. Milton Atkinson • 5. Cec Smailes • 6. Greg Hawick • 7. Bill Stewart
8. Denis Donoghue • 9. Ernie Hammerton • 10. Ken Macreadie • 11. Bernie Purcell • 12. Les Cowie • 13. Jack Rayner (ca.)/(co.)Categories:- 1927 births
- Australian rugby league players
- South Sydney Rabbitohs players
- Norths Devils players
- Members of the Order of Australia
- Australia national rugby league team players
- Australia national rugby league team captains
- Central Charlestown Butcher Boys players
- Australian rugby league coaches
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs coaches
- South Sydney Rabbitohs coaches
- Australia national rugby league team coaches
- 1985 deaths
- Clive Churchill Medal winners
- Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
- Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductees
- Rugby league fullbacks
- Sportspeople from Newcastle, New South Wales
- Queensland rugby league team players
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