Scotch College

Scrum

Presentation Evening Speech
(Mother of the Captain)

A mother’s perspective of Scotch College Rugby

(Given by Meryl McConnochie at the Scotch Rugby Presentation Evening, 14 August 2007 in the James Forbes Academy)

When we arrived from South Africa to live permanently in Melbourne in 2000, we had never heard of Scotch College! Such is the life of an immigrant – there are important things you should know but you simply still have to learn them.

But what we did bring with us was a love for this game of rugby and high expectations of rugby experiences in Australia. In rugby mad South Africa, even Wallaby captains like John Eales and George Gregan are household names! Can you imagine our amazement when all we could see here were fields with the 4 posts, set up for this game they play here where if you kick the ball crooked and it goes to the side, they call it a “behind” and you get some sort of consolation point!

Some glimmer of hope was gained however when we cycled past Scotch College and saw the Scotch rugby posts. You can imagine our joy and relief when we were able to join the Scotch College community in 2005 to find such incredible passion and knowledge amongst this school’s rugby community. Here at Scotch we have been overwhelmed by the culture of friendship and spirit that has bound all of us together because of our shared love of rugby.

Mothers, I bet like me you heave a sigh of relief every time your precious sons emerge from a game still in 1 piece. You may at times have wished that they played a ‘safer’ game, one perhaps ‘less physical’, but the rewards far exceed the risks – for this great game of rugby teaches our sons more than the English and Algebra that they learn in the classroom. More so than any other sport, it provides a launching pad into adult life.

Rugby teaches them COURAGE. Can you imagine the courage required to stand in the path of a man, of the power and determination of a Coops, or a Clowsie, or Boothie, as they charge towards you in full cry?

Rugby teaches them EXTRAORDINARY TEAMWORK – Swannie simply doesn’t take that lineout ball if his lifters aren’t working in perfect unison. The pace of Goodwin and Walker cannot be utilised without slick passing by the backline.

Rugby teaches them to place their TRUST in others - imagine the trust that hooker Gronow must place in Amery and Northy as they slam him forward in that front row, enabling him to hook the ball for Scotch.

Rugby teaches them SELF CONTROL. Referees make strange decisions, you get provoked by the opposition, you get sent off for an infringement that you weren’t responsible for. If you can’t control your emotions you give away penalties – the team suffers. Life can be unfair too…

Rugby teaches you to overcome SETBACKS, DISAPPOINTMENTS AND LOSSES. You are injured, you’re on the bench even though you have not missed a practice session, you lose the grand final. Rugby teaches you simply how to get up when life knocks you down.

It teaches them PASSION and that great SUCCESS is never gained without it. You play the game of your life, you score the try, you win the grand final – but the dream will not be realised without passion. Here at Scotch, our boys have been mentored by the most passionate of coaches. Richard Bayliss inspires commitment in young men as very few others could ever do. Bruce Norton is the most passionate rugby man I have ever met – when his wife Val says he comes alive during winter I can believe it.

The Scotch coaches at every year level have shown our players that passion is the ingredient of success.

All these life skills and all these mouldings of the character, are the gifts that rugby has blessed our sons with, to take into adult life with them and to use for the benefit of themselves and others.

What about the history that Scotch rugby has created?

• The 75th Anniversary event on Saturday was attended by men who played for Scotch in the 1930’s, and even by a gentleman who played in that very first game exactly 75 years ago. On Saturday, current players added to this wonderful legacy.
• History is being made all the time –
• Robbie Sartain played in the number 7 jumper for Scotch 1st XV this year, his father Charlie played at no 7 in 1978. How proud Robbie’s late grandfather Rex, himself a number 7 flanker in his day, must have been to see his grandsons Robbie and Michael play for Scotch as their dad had done.
• Other examples of father-son history are Jon and Craig Ling, Craig and Peter Cooper, and Ian and Hugo Mylecharane. I’m sure there are many more such multi-generation stories.

But perhaps the most important rugby gift of all is that of FRIENDSHIPS - the friendships that rugby creates, for the players and for all of us associated with the game. My own father, now in his seventies, still hangs out with his rugby mates. I know I speak on behalf of every parent when I say, to everyone who has coached our sons, administered and organised their rugby, or supported their rugby in any way, thank you not only for these efforts, but above all for the friendships that will endure beyond the final whistle.

And to our sons I say “Thank you for playing rugby”.