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Full name | Western Sydney "Two Blues" Rugby | |
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Nickname(s) | Two Blues | |
Founded | 1879 | |
Location | Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia | |
Ground(s) | Eric Tweedale Stadium (Capacity: 5,000 (750 seats)) | |
Coach(es) | Paul Hardwick, Greg Michell | |
Captain(s) | Adrian Musico | |
League(s) | Shute Shield | |
General Manager | Craig Morgan | |
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Official website | ||
www |
Western Sydney Two Blues Rugby, formerly Parramatta Two Blues Rugby, is a rugby union club based in Parramatta, the second CBD of Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1879 and competes in the Shute Shield run by the New South Wales Rugby Union. One of the oldest clubs in the Sydney Premier Rugby competition the club has produced nineteen Wallabies over the years, starting with the great Bill Cerutti in 1936 through to the club's current, Tatafu Polota-Nau. To date Parramatta has played in eight First grade grand finals.
Western Sydney Two Blues Rugby Club has enjoyed 130 years of top-grade rugby in Sydney's premier competition and is one of only five clubs (Manly, Randwick, Parramatta, Gordon and Warringah) to have never been relegated from the Top Grade.
Founded in 1879 as Cumberland, the club played in a senior Competition with University, Wallaroos, Waratah, Redfern and Pirates until 1899 when the existing system was disbanded.
The Club changed its name to Parramatta and was admitted to the Sydney First Grade competition in 1934 contesting its first Grand Final in 1945, a 9-3 defeat to Sydney University. The 1950s and 1960s were lean years but the development of a strong junior competition assured a sharp improvement in standards.
Former Wallaby Rod Phelps took over as captain-coach in 1971 and for three years he improved Parramatta‘s standing in the rugby fraternity. Grand Final appearances in 1974 and 1975 showed that the club was well on its way to becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Finally with the influx of young players in this period Parramatta won its initial First Grade premiership in 1977, a 17–9 victory against Randwick under coach Peter Fenton. The Two Blues had waited 44 years to sample the sweet taste of victory, but the wait was worthwhile.
The Club then played in the 1979 and 1984 grand finals going down to Randwick on both occasions, but revenge would be sweet in 1985 and 1986 when the underdogs from Sydney’s west succeeded in beating the Galloping Greens to win consecutive premierships under coach Paul Dalton.
In 2018 the club identified the need to evolve and deliver greater opportunity for the game of rugby in Greater Western Sydney. The clubs' members originate from all across the West with the club making the strategic decision to re-brand from Parramatta Rugby Club to the Western Sydney Two Blues to better reflect our presence in the competition, our members and playing group and to take lead for the game of rugby in Western Sydney. [1]
Four of Parramatta’s favourite sons switched to League with success. Ken Kearney (a Wallaby in 1947 and 1948), Ray Price (a Wallaby between 1974 and 1976), Tony Melrose who played for the Wallabies in 1978 and 1979, and Andrew Leeds who played for his country between 1986 and 1988 all wore the Two Blues with pride and then switched to the Parramatta Eels. Leeds and Peter Kay, capped against England in 1988, were the club’s most recent Wallabies until Tatafu Polota-Nau played two Tests on the Wallabies 2005 Tour against England and Ireland.
As of 2021:[ needs update ]
This section needs expansionwith: current squad. You can help by adding to it. (July 2016) |
2014 Parramatta Rugby Squad - Shute Shield | |||||||||
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Props Hookers
Locks
| Loose forwards
Halfbacks Midfielders | Back Three-Quarters
(c) Denotes team captain |
Grand Finalists and Premiers[ citation needed ]
1984 1st Grade Colts Premiers Def Sydney Uni
International men's teams 15-a-side players:
Australia | Bob Brown | Debut: 1975-05-24 vs. England in Sydney Aus / fullback / (Wallaby 575) |
Australia | Bill Cerutti | Australian Rep in 17 Tests & made famous the number 13 Jersey in the 1920s-30s. |
Australia | Phil Clements | Debut: 1982-09-11 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Lock / (Wallaby 631) |
Australia | Adam Coleman | Debut: 2016 |
Australia | Patrick Cooper | Played for Wallabies is 1965 |
Australia | Peter Kay | Debut: 1988-06-12 vs. England in Sydney, Aus / Prop / (Wallaby 669) |
Australia | Ken Kearney | Debut: 1947-06-14 vs. New Zealand in Brisbane, Aus / Hooker / (Wallaby 346) |
Australia | Martin Knight | Debut: 1978-06-11 vs. Wales in Brisbane, NZ / centre / (Wallaby 593) |
Australia | Andrew Leeds | Debut: 1986-09-06 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / fullback / (Wallaby 658) |
Australia | Mick Martin | Debut: 1980-05-24 vs. Fiji in Suva, Fiji / wing / (Wallaby 612) |
Australia | Adrian McDonald | Played for Wallabies in 1983 |
Australia | Tony Melrose | Debut: 1978-09-09 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Flyhalf / (Wallaby 601) |
Australia | Taqele Naiyaravoro | Debut: 2015 |
Australia | Rod Phelps | Debut: 1955-09-03 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / fullback / (Wallaby 412) |
Australia | Tatafu Polota-Nau | Debut: 2005-11-12 vs England in Twickenham, England / Hooker / (Wallaby 806) |
Australia | Don Price | Forward Toured Fiji with the Australian Rugby Union Team in 1980 |
Australia | Ray Price | Debut: 1974-05-25 vs. New Zealand in Sydney, Aus / Flanker / (Wallaby 573) |
Australia | Eric Tweedale | Debut: 1946-09-14 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / Prop / (Wallaby 336) |
Australia | Malcolm van Gelder | 1958 |
Australia | Lance Walker | Debut: 1982-08-28 vs. New Zealant in Wellington, NZ / Hooker / (Wallaby 629) |
Australia | Stan Wickham | Played for Wallabies in 1901 to 1906 |
Tonga | Damien Fakafanua | Centre/wing for Tonga in 2012 Pacific Nations Cup |
Tonga | John Fonua | Debut: 2002-06-15 vs. Samoa at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / wing / (Tonga Player 472) |
Tonga | Sitiveni Mafi | Lock, Flanker for Tonga Debut in the 2010 Pacific nations Cup |
Tonga | Sateki Tuipulotu | Debut:1994-07-17 vs. Fiji at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / fullback / (Tonga Player 368) |
Fiji | Taniela Rawaqa | Fullback/Flyhalf for Fiji. The Second Highest point scorer in Pacific Nations Cup at 103 Points |
Samoa | Fa'avaivai Tanoa'i | Debut: 1996-07-13 Vs. Tonga at Apia, Samoa / Flyhalf |
Samoa | Lua Vailoaloa | Halfback for the Manu Samoa in 2011 Pacific Nations Cup and non travelling reserve in 2011 Rugby World Cup |
New Zealand | Sosene Anesi | Debut: 2005 vs. Fiji in Albany / fullback,Wing / (All-Black 1054) |
Canada | Evan Olmstead | Debut: 2011 Canada U20 Vs. Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia / 2nd Row/Flanker/No.8 |
Philippines | Oliver Saunders | Current Philippines Rugby player and Top point scorer (Flyhalf) |
Philippines | Kenneth Stern | Current Philippines Rugby Player (Winger) |
Other players signed to professional clubs:
Australia | Daniel Yakapo | Rugby Viadana |
Italy | Steven Bortolussi | Petrarca Padova Rugby |
Samoa | Iese Leota | Stade Montois |
Samoa | Chris Seuteni | CA Brive |
Tonga | Sitiveni Mafi | Western Force |
International women's teams players:
Australia | Alex Sulusi | Australian women's national rugby union team |
Australia | Chloe Butler | Australian women's national rugby union team |
Australia | Nita Maynard | Australian women's national rugby union team |
Australia | Hanna Sio | Australian women's national rugby union team (sevens) |
Other Australian team representatives:
Australia | Daniel Yakapo | Australian national rugby union team (sevens) |
Australia | Andrew Vatuvei | Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union |
Australia | Andrew Cox | Australian Barbarians Rugby Team |
Australia | Josh Kaifa | Australian Barbarians Rugby Team |
Australia | Mika Polota Nau | Australian Barbarians Rugby Team |
Australia | Rodney Ma'a | Australian Barbarians Rugby Team |
The following players have played over 200 Grade games for Parramatta Two Blues
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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2016) |