Clinton Schifcofske
Encyclopedia
Clinton Schifcofske is an Australia
n rugby league footballer for the Crusaders in the Europe
an Super League
. He has previously played for Irish rugby union
club Ulster
in the Magners League competition and also he spent a year with Queensland Reds
in the Super 14
. Clinton previously played rugby league
for the South Queensland Crushers
, Parramatta Eels
and the Canberra Raiders
prior to his move to Rugby Union. His position of choice is at fullback. He is of Polish descent.
. In 2006 he was made captain of the club. In the same year, due to an injury incurred by Karmichael Hunt
, Schifcofske was chosen in the Queensland Maroons side for the 2006 State of Origin
decider. He was the Maroons' third fullback for the series after Matt Bowen
was dropped after Game One. During the middle of the 2006 season he made the decision to switch codes from Rugby League to Rugby Union signing a two year deal with the Queensland Reds
for the 2007 season
.
During the 2006 season, one of Schifcofske's penalty goal attempts in a match against the Wests Tigers
was the subject of Ray Warren
's commentary; as he was taking the shot, Warren called the words: "Eddie Jones (who was at the time the coach of the Queensland Reds
), if you're watching..." and Schifcofske nailed the shot. In the same match, he nailed a field goal in golden point to win Canberra the match. He had the best goal kicking success rate in the NRL
ahead of both Andrew Johns
and Hazem El Masri
. His final NRL match was played at Telstra Stadium on the 9th of September 2006 against the Canterbury Bulldogs where the Raiders were knocked out of the finals race. He finished the 2006 season as the Raiders' top point-scorer.
Schifcoske's 1,604 points in first grade places him 9th in Australian rugby league's all time top point scoring list.
took on Japan with Schifcoske having a sound performance in his first game and then playing for an invitational World XV
side against The Springboks. After being planned to be used as a goal-kicking winger by Eddie Jones the season ending injury to Reds and Wallabies
Fullback Chris Latham
, Schifcoske was selected to play in his preferred position of Fullback. In 2007 he represented Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup in all 5 games. Australia finished runners up to the Junior All Blacks
.
Schifcofske is weighing up a two-year offer from the Reds
as well as interest from five other clubs, including a large deal from Ulster Rugby
. It's understood two are from league
, an unnamed NRL club and Perpignan
-based Super League
franchise Catalans Dragons
, while other interest comes from rugby union
clubs in England and Japan.
It has since been confirmed that he will be leaving the Reds at the end of the 2008 Super 14 season, and joining the Irish province Ulster
for three seasons.
season, Schifcofske signed with the Crusaders, returning to rugby league. After Michael Witt
suffered a season-ending knee injury, Schifcofske became the team's primary goal kicker. In 20 appearances for the Crusaders in 2010, he scored a team-high 120 points.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby league footballer for the Crusaders in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He has previously played for Irish rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club Ulster
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
in the Magners League competition and also he spent a year with Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
. Clinton previously played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for the South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
, Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
prior to his move to Rugby Union. His position of choice is at fullback. He is of Polish descent.
Rugby league
In 2001 and 2004 Schifcofske was named the Canberra Raiders' player of the yearMal Meninga Medal
The Mal Meninga Medal is the name of the award that goes to the Canberra Raiders' Player of the Year. The award was named after former Raiders captain and coach, Mal Meninga and was first awarded in 2008. Before this there was no name for the award but was still awarded...
. In 2006 he was made captain of the club. In the same year, due to an injury incurred by Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt is an Australian professional multi-code football player, currently playing Australian rules football for the newly formed Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League ....
, Schifcofske was chosen in the Queensland Maroons side for the 2006 State of Origin
2006 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2006 State of Origin series was the 25th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules. It was decided in three matches which drew...
decider. He was the Maroons' third fullback for the series after Matt Bowen
Matt Bowen
Matthew Jeremy "Matt" Bowen is an Australian rugby league player. He has spent his whole professional career with the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League , playing in over 200 matches and holding the club's record for the player with the most NRL appearances. He appeared in the...
was dropped after Game One. During the middle of the 2006 season he made the decision to switch codes from Rugby League to Rugby Union signing a two year deal with the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
for the 2007 season
2007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
.
During the 2006 season, one of Schifcofske's penalty goal attempts in a match against the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
was the subject of Ray Warren
Ray Warren
Ray "Rabbits" Warren in Junee, New South Wales is an Australian sports commentator, most famous for his coverage of televised professional rugby league matches on the Nine Network. On occasion he is referred to as "The Voice of Rugby League". Ray also calls the action for Australian swimming team...
's commentary; as he was taking the shot, Warren called the words: "Eddie Jones (who was at the time the coach of the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
), if you're watching..." and Schifcofske nailed the shot. In the same match, he nailed a field goal in golden point to win Canberra the match. He had the best goal kicking success rate in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
ahead of both Andrew Johns
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
and Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri is a Lebanese-Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australia and Lebanon international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with...
. His final NRL match was played at Telstra Stadium on the 9th of September 2006 against the Canterbury Bulldogs where the Raiders were knocked out of the finals race. He finished the 2006 season as the Raiders' top point-scorer.
Schifcoske's 1,604 points in first grade places him 9th in Australian rugby league's all time top point scoring list.
Rugby union
Schifcoske's Rugby Union career started when the Queensland RedsQueensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
took on Japan with Schifcoske having a sound performance in his first game and then playing for an invitational World XV
World XV
A World XV is a rugby union team, typically composed of invited players from various countries. Various World XVs have been arranged from time to time, often to take part in celebration and testimonial games, usually against national teams; recent World XV games have generally not been considered...
side against The Springboks. After being planned to be used as a goal-kicking winger by Eddie Jones the season ending injury to Reds and Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
Fullback Chris Latham
Chris Latham (rugby player)
Chris Latham is an Australian rugby union player, who played fullback for the Worcester Warriors, following a long career with the Queensland Reds and Australia....
, Schifcoske was selected to play in his preferred position of Fullback. In 2007 he represented Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup in all 5 games. Australia finished runners up to the Junior All Blacks
Junior All Blacks
The Junior All Blacks are a New Zealand rugby union team. The Junior All Blacks are not an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby union team....
.
Schifcofske is weighing up a two-year offer from the Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
as well as interest from five other clubs, including a large deal from Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
. It's understood two are from league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, an unnamed NRL club and Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
-based Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
franchise Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
, while other interest comes from rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
clubs in England and Japan.
It has since been confirmed that he will be leaving the Reds at the end of the 2008 Super 14 season, and joining the Irish province Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
for three seasons.
Return to rugby league
Mid-way through the 2010 Super League XVSuper League XV
The 2010 Super League season was the fifteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leader's Shield over 27 rounds . All clubs also participated in the 2010 Challenge Cup tournament...
season, Schifcofske signed with the Crusaders, returning to rugby league. After Michael Witt
Michael Witt
Michael Witt is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Harlequins RL in the Super League...
suffered a season-ending knee injury, Schifcofske became the team's primary goal kicker. In 20 appearances for the Crusaders in 2010, he scored a team-high 120 points.
Awards and honors
- State of Origin: Played 2 games in total for Queensland (2002 & 2006)
- 2006 Dally MDally M AwardsThe Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
Fullback of the Year.