Patrick McCue
Encyclopedia
Patrick Aloysius "Paddy" McCue (24 June 1883 – 10 September 1962) was an Australian representative rugby union
player and pioneer rugby league
player. He was a dual-code rugby international and an Olympic gold medallist.
A forward with the Newtown Rugby Union club in Sydney, McCue was selected on the first Wallaby
tour of England in 1908–1909, the squad captained by Herbert Moran
. That side competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics
in London and McCue was a member of the Australia national rugby union team
captained by Chris McKivat
which won the gold medal.
in Sydney in 1910 and helped the club win premiership honours that year. They included gold medallist Wallabies John "Jumbo" Barnett and Charles "Boxer" Russell.
McCue played seven seasons with Newtown and after retiring as a player was assistant coach of the University club in its inaugural first grade season of 1920
.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, McCue was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
in 1911 and later led New South Wales as captain on the 1912-13 tour of New Zealand
.
He was selected on the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of England which was an Australasian squad including four New Zealanders. McCue made his international rugby league debut in the first Test of 1911 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and played in all three Tests of the series, as well as in twenty other minor tour matches, scoring seven tries all told on the tour. His final international appearance was in the first test of the 1914 domestic Ashes
series.
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...
player and pioneer 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...
player. He was a dual-code rugby international and an Olympic gold medallist.
Rugby union career
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...
tour of England in 1908–1909, the squad captained by Herbert Moran
Herbert Moran
Herbert Michael "Paddy" Moran was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative flanker who captained the Wallabies' on their first overseas tour in 1908-09.-Early years:...
. That side competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
in London and McCue was a member of the Australia national rugby union team
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...
captained by Chris McKivat
Chris McKivat
Christopher Hobart McKivat was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player – a dual-code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in over 20 Tests and tour matches from 1907 to 1909 and the Kangaroos in 5 Tests from 1910 to 1912...
which won the gold medal.
Rugby league club career
Along with fourteen of his Olympic Wallaby team-mates on his return to Australia he negotiated to take part in promotional matches against the Pioneer Kangaroos and was promptly banned from the amateur code by the Metropolitan Rugby Union. McCue and a number of the rebels joined the Newtown clubNewtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in Sydney in 1910 and helped the club win premiership honours that year. They included gold medallist Wallabies John "Jumbo" Barnett and Charles "Boxer" Russell.
McCue played seven seasons with Newtown and after retiring as a player was assistant coach of the University club in its inaugural first grade season of 1920
New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1920
The 1920 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the thirteenth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. The introduction of a Sydney University side saw nine teams from across the city contest during he season. Balmain were crowned...
.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, McCue was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
Rugby league representative career
McCue was selected to represent New South WalesNew South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in 1911 and later led New South Wales as captain on the 1912-13 tour of New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
.
He was selected on the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour of England which was an Australasian squad including four New Zealanders. McCue made his international rugby league debut in the first Test of 1911 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and played in all three Tests of the series, as well as in twenty other minor tour matches, scoring seven tries all told on the tour. His final international appearance was in the first test of the 1914 domestic Ashes
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
series.
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney - Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney