Rugby Australia has today paid tribute to the code’s Queens Birthday Honours recipients for 2019.
A total of seven recipients were acknowledged for their service to Rugby Union with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), headlined by former Wallabies Captains Stephen Moore and Anthony ‘Tony’ Shaw.
Renowned former Queensland, ARU and SANZAR Director Richard ‘Dick’ McGruther, Victorian Rugby patriarch Robert ‘Bob’ Dalziel, Brothers Rugby Club icon Desmond Hogan, Caboolture Rugby Club Founder Kevin Kaeser, and long-time Queensland Rugby referee Anthony Mellick made up the full contingent honoured from within the Rugby community today.
Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore retired from the game in 2017 with the second most Test matches in Wallabies history, having captained his country on 26 occasions in 129 appearances in the Gold jersey. Moore was also credited for his significant contribution to charitable organisations, including Ronald McDonald House and Lifeline, and his ambassadorial role for the Sydney Invictus Games.
Tony Shaw
Tony Shaw captained the Wallabies in 15 Tests between 1978 and 1981, earning 36 Test caps overall in a career that stamped him into the Wallaby Hall of Fame.
Shaw was President of Rugby Australia until 2019 and is a life member of the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU), where he rose through the ranks at the Brothers Rugby Club to become a Queensland Rugby legend.
Dick McGruther
Dick McGruther is one of Australian Rugby’s most revered administrators, serving two stints on the ARU Board including as Chairman from 1996-98 when he also served as Australia’s delegate to the IRB (now World Rugby). McGruther was a foundation SANZAR Director (now SANZAAR) from 1996-2000 overseeing the formation of Super Rugby and the Tri-Nations (now The Ruby Championship) and served as QRU Chairman from 1992-94.
Bob Dalziel
Bob Dalziel is a prominent Victorian Rugby and business figure, serving as an ARU Director from 2006-09 before becoming a foundation Director of the Melbourne Rebels. Dalziel has served as patron of the Victorian Schools Rugby Union since 1994. The former Coles Myer Director is also heavily involved with leading charities Oxfam, Red Shield and the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Des Hogan
Queenslander Des Hogan is an icon and life member of Brothers Rugby Club, having served the club for 64 years as a player, coach, and volunteer.
Kevin Kaeser
Kevin Kaeser was a founder of the Caboolture Rugby Club in Queensland in 1982 and has coached in junior and senior roles as well as serving multiple committee roles in his 37 years at the club.
Anthony Mellick
Long-serving Queensland referee Anthony Mellick is a past president of the Australia Rugby Referees and Queensland Rugby Referees Association, having refereed many years in Queensland competitions after a playing stint with Souths Rugby Club.
Rugby Australia Chief Executive, Raelene Castle said: “Today we send a special thanks to Rugby’s Honours recipients, each of whom have made an outstanding contribution to Rugby and to Australian society.
“Among the recipients in 2019 are some legendary former Wallabies Captains and Australian Rugby administrators and other individuals from our community that have dedicated a large part of their lives to Rugby and have had a significant impact on running, growing and promoting our game in their regions.
“It is a great time of year to reflect upon the incredible contributions of so many in Rugby, especially the army of volunteers whose passion and dedication continues to provide the lifeblood of our game each and every day.”
