Syd Malcolm
Encyclopedia
Syd Malcolm was an Australia
n rugby union
player, a state and national representative half-back who captained the Wallabies' on seventeen occasions between 1928 and 1933.
in his teens to seek work and found it at Ipswich, Queensland
as a boilermaker. He played rugby league
during his time there, achieving representative honours for Queensland.
His first representative rugby union appearances were on the 1927-28 Waratahs tour of Britain, France and Canada for which Malcolm was one of three half-backs selected along with Wally Meagher and Jack Duncan from Randwick
. Meagher started as the preferred Test half and when Malcolm dislocated his shoulder in the match against Oxford University not yet half-way into the tour it looked as though he would have disappointing memories of the trip.
He was side-lined for many matches (ultimately only playing in 11 of the 31 official tour matches) but his capabilities had been noticed. After his shoulder recovery he was selected in the final three Tests against Scotland
, England
and France
. He finished the tour as Australia's number one half-back and returned to Newcastle a hero, but keen to relocate to Sydney to play club rugby there.
toured New Zealand in 1928 Malcolm was named as captain. The team was full of new blood with only Cyril Towers
and Geoff Bland continuing on for the 1927 World Tour squad. Syd Malcolm played in seven of the ten matches; five in total were won and five lost.
In 1929 the All Blacks
toured Australia, Tom Lawton
took over as captain but Syd Malcolm was in the side which won all three Tests in an upset. With the Queensland Rugby Union
now back in existence for the first time since 1919 this was the first truly national Wallabies side fielded since 1914 and the first time in history any nation had beaten the All Blacks in a 3-0 series whitewash.
Great Britain
toured Australia in 1930 and Malcolm played in two tests and twice against them for New South Wales. Then in 1931 a full Australian side was sent to New Zealand. Syd Malcolm was the captain and part of the senior playing group with Cyril Towers
and Alex Ross from the 1927 side. They won three, drew one and lost six matches including the single Test. In 1932 Malcolm again met the All Blacks in three Test appearances when they came to Australia - he was captain in one of those encounters but also captained New South Wales against them.
In 1933, Malcolm was in the squad that made Australia's first ever rugby tour of South Africa
. He made eleven appearances including two Tests, one as captain. Syd Malcolm made his final international appearances against New Zealand in 1934, finishing his representative career after eight years and forty five internationals including eighteen Tests.
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 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...
player, a state and national representative half-back who captained the Wallabies' on seventeen occasions between 1928 and 1933.
Youth and representative debut
Malcolm left Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
in his teens to seek work and found it at Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
as a boilermaker. He 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...
during his time there, achieving representative honours for Queensland.
His first representative rugby union appearances were on the 1927-28 Waratahs tour of Britain, France and Canada for which Malcolm was one of three half-backs selected along with Wally Meagher and Jack Duncan from Randwick
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
. Meagher started as the preferred Test half and when Malcolm dislocated his shoulder in the match against Oxford University not yet half-way into the tour it looked as though he would have disappointing memories of the trip.
He was side-lined for many matches (ultimately only playing in 11 of the 31 official tour matches) but his capabilities had been noticed. After his shoulder recovery he was selected in the final three Tests against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
, England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. He finished the tour as Australia's number one half-back and returned to Newcastle a hero, but keen to relocate to Sydney to play club rugby there.
Playing style
Malcolm provided quick service from the scrum base with a fast but not particularly long pass. He was quick to spot and exploit an opening but was most respected for his courage and determination when the going got tough. The Howell reference describes him as "courage personified".Representative career
When the WaratahsNew South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
toured New Zealand in 1928 Malcolm was named as captain. The team was full of new blood with only Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who made 57 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 19 Test matches and captained the national side on three occasions in 1937...
and Geoff Bland continuing on for the 1927 World Tour squad. Syd Malcolm played in seven of the ten matches; five in total were won and five lost.
In 1929 the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
toured Australia, Tom Lawton
Tom Lawton, Snr
Tom Lawton Snr was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative five-eighth who made 44 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 14 Test matches and captained the national side on ten occasions....
took over as captain but Syd Malcolm was in the side which won all three Tests in an upset. With the Queensland Rugby Union
Queensland Rugby Union
The Queensland Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Queensland. It is a member and founding union of the Australian Rugby Union.-See also:*Queensland Reds*Australian Rugby Union*The Wallabies*Rugby union in Queensland...
now back in existence for the first time since 1919 this was the first truly national Wallabies side fielded since 1914 and the first time in history any nation had beaten the All Blacks in a 3-0 series whitewash.
Great Britain
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
toured Australia in 1930 and Malcolm played in two tests and twice against them for New South Wales. Then in 1931 a full Australian side was sent to New Zealand. Syd Malcolm was the captain and part of the senior playing group with Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who made 57 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 19 Test matches and captained the national side on three occasions in 1937...
and Alex Ross from the 1927 side. They won three, drew one and lost six matches including the single Test. In 1932 Malcolm again met the All Blacks in three Test appearances when they came to Australia - he was captain in one of those encounters but also captained New South Wales against them.
In 1933, Malcolm was in the squad that made Australia's first ever rugby tour of South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He made eleven appearances including two Tests, one as captain. Syd Malcolm made his final international appearances against New Zealand in 1934, finishing his representative career after eight years and forty five internationals including eighteen Tests.
Sources
- Collection (1995) Gordon Bray presents The Spirit of Rugby, Harper Collins Publishers Sydney
- Howell, Max (2005) Born to Lead - Wallaby Test Captains, Celebrity Books, Auckland NZ
- Queensland representatives at qrl.com.au