Phil Hawthorne
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Phil Hawthorne was an Australian rugby league and rugby union player - a dual international. He represented the Wallabies in 21 Tests and the Kangaroos in 3 Tests. He captained Australia in the 3rd Rugby League Test match in 1970.
Hawthorne was born in 1943 in Newcastle, New South Wales. From the Wanderers Rugby Union Club in Newcastle, he first represented for the Wallabies age 18 as Fly-half. For the next five years he was a consistent selection for Wallaby Tests and Tours and formed a formidable partnership with scrum-half Ken Catchpole. On the 1966-67 Tour of England Hawthorne played in five Tests and set a new Tour point scoring record of 26 points (six field goals, two penalties and two conversions).
In 1967 he joined the Randwick Club to pair with Catchpole at the Club level and played further Tests that year. In 1968 Hawthorne accepted a then record $30,000 contract to switch to the professional code and join the St. George Dragons. He played 56 games for the Dragons from 1968 to 1971 at Five-eighth.
He played all three Tests against Great Britain in 1970 and was captain in the 3rd Test with Langlands and Sattler injured and unavailable.
Phil Hawthorne's international rugby league debut against Great Britain in Brisbane on 6 June 1970 alongside John Brass saw them together become Australia's 32nd and 33rd dual code rugby internationals.
Hawthorne was a field-goal specialist with notable statistics including:
- 6 field goals in 5 Test matches on the 66-67 Wallaby Tour
- 18 field goals in 18 appearances with St George in 1968
- 12 field goals in 12 appearances with St George in 1969
- 3 field goals in his 3 Rugby League Tests in 1970.
Injury restricted Hawthorne's appearances in 1971. He left the club at the end of that year to join the Eastern Suburbs Roosters but spent much of the 1972 season in reserve grade.
He moved to Coffs Harbour in 1973 and captain-coached a local side. He contracted leukemia in 1991 and died in September 1994.
[edit] Rugby league appearances
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| St. George Dragons | 54 | 1968 - 1971 |
| Eastern Suburbs | 1 | 1972 |
| New South Wales | 2 | 1970 |
| Australia (Tests) | 3 | 1970 |
