By
Graham Davis
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Honing
their passing skills
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John
Eales signs autographs
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Author
Lindy Batchelor with CO Penguin CMDR John Shevlin
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Photos
by ABPH Bill Louys and ABPH Yuri Ramsey
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The
Wallabies have a “great chance” to take the World Cup,
former captain, John Eales told a crowd of 500 Rugby enthusiasts
at HMAS Penguin earlier this month.
England was the team to beat, he suggested.
The Aussie Rugby great’s remarks came when he attended a
Rugby clinic staged on the West Head Oval beside Penguin and a
follow up launch of his two new books for junior Rugby players.
The
activities were conducted in consort with the ABC and saw Sally
Loane broadcast her morning show from the oval.
More than 150 children from Mosman and Manly Warringah schools,
including members of Forest Rugby Club, attended the fun day.
Joining John Eales were leading players Ben Tune, George Smith,
Brendan Cannon, Phil Waugh and Dan Vickerman.
The clinic and book launch just happened to coincide with the
announcement of the Wallabies World Cup squad.
Beginning from an early hour, physical instructors from Penguin
and the Indoor Sports Centre at Kuttabul put the children through
a series of skills courses.
Youngsters were soon darting between cones, picking up footballs
while on the run and finally knocking over tackling pylons.
Others were honing their passing skills by sending footballs through
holes in targets.
Boys and girls, some wearing their own team’s colours, the
others the gold and green of the Wallabies, were joined by their
heroes.
A queue 75 metres long formed when John Eales began signing autographs.
That queue grew longer when he was joined by Dan Vickerman and
George Smith at a signing table.
After an initial “welcome to Penguin” from its commanding
officer, CMDR John Shevlin, Ben Tune formally launched the books
“Rugby: Facts and Fun for Kids” (in conjunction with
author Lindy Batchelor) and the “John Eales Rugby Book.”
Eales said it was a “great honour” to have been able
to write the books and to be in attendance at HMAS Penguin.
“It is a fantastic venue and all the activities have been
very well organised,” he said.
He noted that the World Cup will be played in hotter conditions
than many clubs were accustomed and that the Wallabies would go
to Darwin for some of their training buildup.
More than 50 members of the ship’s company assisted CMDR
Shevlin organise and staff the fun day. A sausage sizzle followed
the book launch with a combo from the RAN Band in attendance.
Those attending opened up their purses and wallets for Legacy.
In two shifts, eight Year 11 students from Mosman’s Queenwood
School for Girls sold Legacy fundraising badges. They raised $1,333.
BZ
