Parramatta Two Blues

Parramatta Two Blues
Full name Parramatta "Two Blues" Rugby
Nickname(s) Two Blues
Founded 1879
Location Parramatta, Sydney, Australia
Ground(s) Granville Park
Coach(es) New ZealandGerrard Fasavalu
Captain(s) AustraliaAndrew Cox
League(s) AustraliaShute Shield
General Manager AustraliaMichael Bell
Team kit
Official website
www.twobluesrugby.com.au

Parramatta Two Blues Rugby is a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta NSW Australia. The club was formed in 1879 and competes in the Shute Shield run by the New South Wales Rugby Union. One of the oldest clubs in the Sydney Premier Rugby competition the club has produced nineteen wallabies over the years, starting with the great Bill Cerutti in 1936 through to the club's current, Tatafu Polota-Nau. To date Parramatta has played in eight First grade grand finals.

History

Parramatta Two Blues Rugby Club has enjoyed 130 years of top grade rugby in Sydney's premier competition and is one of only five clubs (Manly, Randwick, Parramatta, Gordon & Warringah) to have never been relegated from the Top Grade.

Founded in 1879 as Cumberland, the Club played in a senior Competition with University, Wallaroos, Waratah, Redfern and Pirates until 1899 when the existing system was disbanded.

The Club changed its name to Parramatta and was admitted to the Sydney First Grade competition in 1934 contesting its first grandfinal in 1945, a 9-3 defeat to Sydney University. The 1950`s and 1960`s were lean years but the development of a strong junior competition assured a sharp improvement in standards.

Former Wallaby Rod Phelps took over as captain-coach in 1971 and for three years he improved Parramatta`s standing in the rugby fraternity. Grand final appearances in 1974 and 1975 showed that the club was well on its way to becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Finally with the influx of young players in this period Parramatta won its initial First grade premiership in 1977, a 17-9 victory against Randwick under coach Peter Fenton. The Two Blues had waited 44 years to sample the sweet taste of victory but the wait was worthwhile.

The Club then played in the 1979 and 1984 grand finals going down to Randwick on both occasions but revenge would be sweet in 1985 and 1986 when the underdogs from Sydney`s west succeeded in beating the Galloping Greens to win consecutive premierships under coach Paul Dalton.

Four of Parramatta`s favourite sons switched codes with success. Ken Kearney a Wallaby in 1947 and '48, Ray Price a Wallaby between 1974 and 1976, Tony Melrose 1978 and 1979, and Andrew Leeds 1986 and 1988 all wore the Two Blues with pride before switching codes. Leeds and Peter Kay, capped against England in 1988, were the club`s most recent Wallabies until Tatafu Polota-Nau played 2 Tests on the Wallabies 2005 Tour against England and Ireland.

Club information

Club Name: Parramatta Two Blues
Nickname: Two Blues
Founded: 1879
Home-stadium: Merrylands RSL Rugby Park (Formerly Granville park)
President: Geoff Baldwin
General Manager: Michael Bell.
Director of Coaching: Gerrard Fasavalu
Club Captain: Joshua Whale
2014 1st Grade Co Captains: Andrew Cox, Tomu Mataika
Uniform colours: Navy-Blue and Sky-Blue
Premiership Titles: 3 titles: 1977, 1985, 1986
Parramatta Two Blues logo pre 2011

Representative Players

Professional Rugby Players

Australian Representatives

Parramatta Two Blues Staff

Name Position
Australia Geoff Baldwin President
Australia Michael Bell General Manager
New Zealand Gerrard Fasavalu Head Coach
Australia Rod Cutler Assistant Coach
Australia Steve Tuckwell Colts Coordinator / Head Coach
Name Position
Australia Dennis Garlick Logistics Manager
Australia Glenn Corcoran Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australia Roland Herea Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australia Tony Privett Manager
England James Lancaster Reserve Grade Head Coach
Andrew Cox achieving 100 first grade games congratulated by President Geoff Baldwin and the oldest living former Wallaby Eric Tweedale

International Representatives

Country Name Debut
Australia Australia Bob Brown Debut: 1975-05-24 vs. England in Sydney Aus / Fullback / (Wallaby 575)
Australia Australia Phil Clements Debut: 1982-09-11 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Lock / (Wallaby 631)
Australia Australia Patrick Cooper Played for Wallabies is 1965
Australia Australia Bill Cerutti Australian Rep in 17 Tests & made famous the number 13 Jersey in the 1920s-30s.
Australia Australia John Griffiths Played for Wallabies in 1982
Australia Australia Andrew Leeds Debut: 1986-09-06 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Fullback / (Wallaby 658)
Australia Australia Peter Kay Debut: 1988-06-12 vs. England in Sydney, Aus / Prop / (Wallaby 669)
Australia Australia Ken Kearney Debut: 1947-06-14 vs. New Zealand in Brisbane, Aus / Hooker / (Wallaby 346)
Australia Australia Martin Knight Debut: 1978-06-11 vs. Wales in Brisbane, NZ / Centre / (Wallaby 593)
Australia Australia Adrian McDonald Played for Wallabies in 1983
Australia Australia Tony Melrose Debut: 1978-09-09 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Flyhalf / (Wallaby 601)
Australia Australia Rod Phelps Debut: 1955-09-03 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / Fullback / (Wallaby 412)
Australia Australia Mick Martin Debut: 1980-05-24 vs. Fiji in Suva, Fiji / Wing / (Wallaby 612)
Australia Australia Don Price Forward Toured Fiji with the Australian Rugby Union Team in 1980
Australia Australia Tatafu Polota-Nau Debut: 2005-11-12 vs England in Twickenham, England / Hooker / (Wallaby 806)
Australia Australia Ray Price Debut: 1974-05-25 vs. New Zealand in Sydney, Aus / Flanker / (Wallaby 573)
Australia Australia Eric Tweedale Debut: 1946-09-14 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / Prop / (Wallaby 336)
Australia Australia Stan Wickham Played for Wallabies in 1901 to 1906
Australia Australia Lance Walker Debut: 1982-08-28 vs. New Zealant in Wellington, NZ / Hooker / (Wallaby 629)
Tonga Tonga Sitiveni Mafi Lock, Flanker for Tonga Debut in the 2010 Pacific nations Cup
Tonga Tonga Sateki Tuipulotu Debut:1994-07-17 vs. Fiji at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / Fullback / (Tonga Player 368)
Tonga Tonga John Fonua Debut: 2002-06-15 vs. Samoa at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / Wing / (Tonga Player 472)
Tonga Tonga Damien Fakafanua Centre/Wing for Tonga in 2012 Pacific Nations Cup
Fiji Fiji Taniela Rawaqa Fullback/Flyhalf for Fiji. The Second Highest point scorer in Pacific Nations Cup at 103 Points
Samoa Samoa Lua Vailoaloa Halfback for the Manu Samoa in 2011 Pacific Nations Cup and non travelling reserve in 2011 Rugby World Cup
Samoa Samoa Fa'avaivai Tanoa'i Debut: 1996-07-13 Vs. Tonga at Apia, Samoa / Flyhalf
New Zealand New Zealand Sosene Anesi Debut: 2005 vs. Fiji in Albany / Fullback,Wing / (All-Black 1054)
Canada Canada Evan Olmstead Debut: 2011 Canada U20 Vs. Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia / 2nd Row/Flanker/No.8
Philippines Philippines Oliver Saunders Current Philippines Rugby player and Top point scorer (Flyhalf)
Philippines Philippines Kenneth Stern Current Philippines Rugby Player (Winger)

Honours

Grand Finalists and Premiers

Life Members

Greg Baker

Bruce Coggins

Denis Garlick

Lorraine Holman

Pat Holman

Frank Lawson

Jack Liversedge

Allan Minett

Roger O'Neill

Morris Sutton

Eric Tweedale

200 Club

The following players have played over 200 Grade games for Parramatta Two Blues

David Bird Matthew Campton
Pat Cooper Ray Elliot
Graham Galloway Glen Goddard
Greg Hackett Dominic King
Ivan Mann Gregg Melrose
David Strong Kel Black
Peter Campton Mick Donaldson
Paul Evans John Gardiner
Andrew Gokel Terry Heffernan
Peter Koen Warren Martin
Allan Minnett Craig Minnett
Glen Stuart Tim Calhalane
Bruce Coggins H Elliot
Geoff Ferris Dennis Garlick
Jon Gorman Allan Holman
Frank Lehman P McDonald
Andrew Campton Joe Cllins
Kevin Elliott Peter Ferris
Paul Gledhill Noel Grant
Peter Kay David Mann
Keith McKinney S Simpson

Parramatta Junior Clubs

Notable Juniors from Parramatta Two Blues

References

    External links