Six Of The Best Jersey - Flyhalves
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Limited Edition of 100 Worldwide
Personally hand signed by: All Six Greatest Flyhalves
Officially Licensed by: Australian Rugby
Authenticated & Certified by:
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Framed Size: 1150mm x 800mm x 100mm
Click image for closer view
The Flyhalf: The 'leader of the backs'. An elusive runner and key decision-maker who decides whether to distribute the ball to the backline or kick for position. His positional kicking skills are often supplemented by goal-kicking talents. Many team captains have occupied this position.
Dick Tooth was one of Australia's most versatile backs, capable in a number of positions in which he played Test Rugby. Flyhalf was his best spot however, and the position from which he captained the Wallabies against New Zealand in 1957. A very gifted player with a wide range of skills, he went on to become a leading orthopaedic surgeon and a sports medicine pioneer. He played 10 Tests for Australia.
Arthur Summons represented Australia at flyhalf in the late 1950s, making the major tour of Britain in 1957-58 in which he formed a dynamic partnership with Des Connor. He represented the Gordon club in Sydney, played 10 Tests for Australia, and was voted one of the year's outstanding players by the New Zealand Rugby Almanac after the 1958 Wallaby tour to NZ. He later switched to Rugby League, where he became captain-coach of the Kangaroos, was a well performed halfback and captain with Western Suburbs, and was immortalised in the famous Gladiators photograph of the 1963 grand final.
Mark Ella was one of three brothers from La Perouse in Sydney whose efforts with the Randwick club and Australia are renowned. Mark played 25 Tests for Australia between 1980 and 1984 and retired at 25, when at the peak of his powers. He was an extraordinary attacking player with a natural eye for an opportunity that was simply uncanny. When playing with his brothers the union was almost telepathic. Ella captained Australia in 1983 but was superseded by Andrew Slack for the grand slam winning Wallaby tour of Britain in 1984 -- a tour on which Ella scored a try in all four internationals.
Paul McLean scored 263 points in 31 Tests for Australia, and had such command of his boot that he often controlled games single-handedly for Queensland or Australia. He was part of an amazing football dynasty -- his grandfather, three uncles, a brother and a cousin all played for Australia -- and he played a pivotal role in the turnaround of the 1970s which saw Queensland rise as a Rugby power. A graceful, commanding player, he has in later days turned his hand to administration as president of the Queensland Rugby Union and vice-president of the Australian Rugby Union.
Michael Lynagh began his career in the Australia side at inside centre alongside Mark Ella in 1984, and finished it as flyhalf and captain of the Wallabies 11 years later. In the meantime he so commanded the position his career spanned 72 Tests, and he scored 911 Test match points - at the time of his retirement nearly 600 more than any other Australian, and a world record. He followed Paul McLean as flyhalf in the Queensland side and Mark Ella in the Australian side, and it is testament to his standing that he maintained the standard set by Ella.
Stephen Larkham began life in representative Rugby as a fullback, and graduated to five-eighth only in an emergency when the new Australian coach Rod Macqueen took a gamble in 1998. Larkham was an immediate success, ghosting his way through the most rigid of defences and producing for the Australian backs a new springboard which eventually helped lift them to the status of 1999 World Cup winners. He has played with such consistent flair for Australia and the ACT Brumbies over the successful run of the 1998-2001 period that despite this relatively brief career, he stands tall against any Australian flyhalf of history. His outstanding field goal in extra time of the 1999 World Cup semi-final against South Africa was a memorable high moment.
THE SELECTION PANEL for SIX OF THE BEST
Three of the most astute Rugby observers in the country were given the task of selecting the very best of the best.
Jim Webster was for over 30 years Rugby correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald , and has authored several books. Inaugural President of the Australian Society of Rugby Writers. Awarded Order of Australia in 1998 for services to sports journalism.
Mark Cashman was the sports editor of The Daily Telegraph for four years. He left to become the foundation editor of Inside Rugby magazine, where he continues in that role. Inside Rugby is Australia's leading Rugby magazine and the producer of the acclaimed match programs for the Wallabies.
Norm Tasker covered his first Rugby Test for the Sunday Telegraph at 18 years of age in 1961. As publisher of ACP's sports magazine division he launched Inside Rugby . As a high level Rugby coach he guided Gordon in the Sydney competition and for six years took charge of NSW and Wallaby under-21 teams.
Superbly presented
The centrepiece of this magnificent presentation is the individually numbered andsigned flyhalf jersey. It is an authentic full-size jersey made by Canterbury. Special permission was granted to create the traditional all-gold jersey - as worn by the Wallabies up until the mid 90's and so identifiable with Australian Rugby Union - complete with all official insignia and markings on the back AND the front. Specially embroidered into the jersey is the limited edition number.
The commemorative jersey is enhanced by the innovative design of Legends' 'Secura-FRAME' showcase. Secura-FRAME gives full access to the jersey, extra security with twin-locks and allows the jersey to display naturally. The handcrafted plexi-glass and timber cabinet is generous in size and depth, measuring 115cm in height, by 80cm wide, by 10cm deep. Also featured is a mounted tribute featuring photography of the six players along with a written tribute.
Signed by the six best
This special collectable release from Australian Rugbymarks one of the most elite groups of players in Australian Rugby history. Each of the six selected have hand-signed the Wallaby jersey - from the greats of the 50's, Dick Tooth and Arthur Summons … to the modern stars, Lynagh and Larkham.
Officially licensed
Fully authorized by Australian Rugby, Six of the Best - The Greatest Flyhalves comes to you complete with a handsome, numbered Certificate Of Authenticity and Limitation from the independent accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who attended each of the signing sessions.
Just 100 of Six of the Best - The Greatest Flyhalves will ever be made available. Like all previously released Wallaby jerseys that went rapidly out of edition it is almost certain to be greatly sought-after.