Clive Churchill
Encyclopedia
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 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.
, 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. 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
.
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
).
Churchill also had success in coaching the Queensland and Australian teams. Churchill was also commemorated as one of Australias most successful coaches.
On 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
.
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'.
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. 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.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(21 January 1927 – 9 August 1985) was an Australian 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...
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
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. 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 and the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
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.
Club career
Clive Churchill was born in Merewether, New South WalesMerewether, New South Wales
Merewether is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district with a population of around 10,000. The suburb stretches from Merewether Beach in the east to Adamstown in the west.- Establishment :...
, 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. 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
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
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
Moree, New South Wales
Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains....
.
Representative 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
Graeme Langlands
Graeme 'Changa' Langlands, MBE, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He retired as the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 from 1963 to 1975, and captained his country in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the...
and Ray Stehr
Ray Stehr
Raymond Ernest Stehr was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player whose club career was played at Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. He has been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Early life:Stehr was born in the country New...
).
Coach
Churchill, widely renowned for his coaching career, toured Europe with the 1959 Kangaroos as non-playing coach. 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
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
"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
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
as one of the initial four post-war “Immortals
The Immortals (rugby league)
A major Australian rugby league magazine Rugby League Week in 1981 selected an exclusive group of players dubbed "The Immortals". The group consisted of Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper...
” of the Australian game alongside Fulton
Bob Fulton
Robert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
, Raper
Johnny Raper
John Raper, MBE is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a lock forward for the Australia national team. He had a record 33 test caps between 1959 and 1968 and played in 6 World Cup games between 1960 to 1968...
and Gasnier
Reg Gasnier
Reg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
.
In 1986 the newly built Clive Churchill Stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
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
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
has, since 1986, been awarded annually to the player judged best on ground in the season's Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
. A plaque in the Walk of Honour at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
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
Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
The Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame honors players who have shown exceptional skill at rugby league, all-time great coaches and referees, and other major contributors to the game who are Australian...
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'.
In February 2008, Churchill was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by 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...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. Churchill went on to be named as fullback in Australian rugby league's Team of the Century
Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century
In late 2007, the Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League commissioned a college of 130 experts to select the 100 best rugby league players in the game's 100-year history in Australia...
. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panels' majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players.