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Clive Churchill Tribute(links to www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au)

Videos - A tribute to the Seven Australian rugby league immortals Reg Gasnier, Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Johnny Raper, Changa Langlands, and Arthur Beetson, includes talk of whether Andrew Johns should become the eighth. To view just click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae4cGeJWVKA

Stats 164 games for Souths between 1947-58, 27 games for NSW, 34 Tests for Australia

The great French second-rowers of the early 1950s - Elie Brousse and Edouard Ponsinet - spoke in awe for years afterwards of the manner in which Churchill had stood up to them.

Huge men who ran like the wind, they would charge at Churchill like runaway locomotives, only to be dropped like stones - time after time

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(From the book, History of Australian Rugby League)

FRENCH LEGEND PUIG AUBERT GIVES CHURCHILL THE RUN AROUND.....
(The only time they believed it happend to the Little Master)

Puig-Aubert broke all the rules. Firstly, he did not have the physique expected of an international player; he took the view that a fullback's role was not to tackle and backed up his belief in some matches by refusing to do so. When kicking for goal, he turned his back on the ball when walking back to prepare for the kick. There was no measured step towards the ball and he had the fastest approach of any big time kicker.

In a match against Townsville on the 1951 Tour, Puig Aubert placed the ball flat on the ground for the conversion attempt after a try had been scored under the posts. He kicked the goal.

He hated training. During his irregular attendances at training, he would often argue heatedly with the coach of the team, Bob Samatan. At training Samatan would explain his views on how the game should be played and Puig Aubert would argue violently with him. His temperment allowed no peace for opponents, team mates or touring officials.

Puig Aubert tried to lead his team off the field in the match against Toowoomba after Brouse and Duncan Hall were sent off.

It was said of him that he was the only fullback ever to make Churchill look foolish. He was a powerful kicker and ran Churchill around on a number of occasions. Churchill's supporters claimed the Australian fullback did not get the support from his wingers who should of been prepared to drop back and help him.......

(From the Book, The History of Australian Rugby League)

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South Sydney Dream Team has been Announced

By Jeremy Monahan

The South Sydney Rabbitohs has announced the greatest Club side in Rugby League history, the South Sydney Dream Team, at a gala dinner at the Westin Hotel in Sydney on July 29, 2004.

17 players were selected in position as well as a coach to represent the South Sydney Football Club from 1908 through to 2004.

The South Sydney Dream Team is:

Fullback – Clive Churchill (164 games for Souths between 1947-58, 27 games for NSW, 34 Tests for Australia).

Winger – Harold Horder (86 games for Souths between 1912-19 & 1924, 9 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Centre – Herb Gilbert (23 games for Souths between 1911-12 & 1915, 3 games for NSW, 7 Tests for Australia).

Centre – Paul Sait (163 games for Souths between 1968-78, 5 games for NSW, 7 Tests for Australia).

Winger – Ian Moir (118 games for Souths between 1952-58, 10 games for NSW, 8 Tests for Australia).

Five-eighth – Jim Lisle (102 games for Souths between 1962-68, 8 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Halfback – Bob Grant (136 games for Souths between 1966-75, 2 games for NSW, 1 Test for Australia).

Lock – Ron Coote (151 games for Souths between 1964-71, 13 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Second Row – Bob McCarthy (217 games for Souths between 1963-75 & 1978, 10 games for NSW, 10 Tests for Australia).

Second Row – George Treweek (120 games for Souths between 1926-34, 7 games for NSW, 18 Tests for Australia).

Prop – John O’Neill (150 games for Souths between 1965-71 & 1975-76, 5 games for NSW, 2 Tests for Australia).

Hooker – Elwyn Walters (129 games for Souths between 1967-73, 11 games for NSW, 12 Tests for Australia).

Prop – John Sattler © (197 games for Souths between 1963-72, 4 games for NSW, 3 games for Queensland, 4 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Greg Hawick (84 games for Souths between 1950-56, 8 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Ray Branighan (52 games for Souths between 1968-71, 5 games for NSW, 8 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Ian Roberts (65 games for Souths between 1986-89, 11 games for NSW, 13 Tests for Australia).

Reserve – Les Cowie (178 games for Souths between 1947-57, 10 games for NSW, 6 Tests for Australia).

Coach – Jack Rayner (Played 196 games for Souths between 1946-57, 11 games for NSW, 5 Tests for Australia. Coached Souths to five premierships in 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955).

This team of absolute champion players spanning the history of the code of Rugby League in Australia have collectively played 2135 First Grade games for the South Sydney Club, 158 games for NSW, 3 games for Queensland and 158 Tests for Australia.

The players have been immortalised in a fabulous painting featuring the South Sydney Dream Team having just won a premiership played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Living members of the team as well as representatives of those who have passed on were presented with a South Sydney Dream Team print which features the Dream Team painting, as well as a South Sydney Dream Team commemorative jersey with their named on the back.

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courtesy of Tony Adams great book The Hitmen - A tribute to League's tough guys.

I was getting up to play the ball when Bumper (Farrell) said in a deep voice, "Hello Son", and almost at the same time I felt Bumper's big powerful, clenched hands around my head, screwing it off. - Clive Churchill on his debut first grade game for South Sydney against Newtown.

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Clive Churchill was credited as saying years later on the 1954 Tour match Great Britain v New South Wales which was abandoned due to ongoing violence



" Beyond any doubt the Englishmen did not take the field to play football."

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"And I remember one of the first games I played against Churchill was when he was on the end of his career, and he was playing five-eighth."

"For South Sydney of course, and Dickie Pool, the coach then said, ‘Now son,’ he said, ‘you’re playing against a good player here today. It’s Clive Churchill,’ he said, ‘don’t underestimate him because he’s a fullback’, he said, ‘because he’s capable of just about handling every position.’ And as cocky as I was in those days, I said, ‘Dick, don’t worry, you won’t have any trouble with him.’ As play went on, I got a bit cockier than what I should normally do, being 16 years of age I went up and I hit Churchill and I said, (I mean with a legal tackle of course) and I said, ‘How do you like that one?’ He said, ‘That’ s good son,’ he said, ‘that’s beaut.’ Then a couple of moments later I hit him with another crash tackle and knocked him to the ground, and I said, ‘Now how was that one?’ And he said, ‘That was a lot better, by the way’, you know, he just sort of sat there and after we played the ball and before he got up he said that word, he said, ‘You know, it’s better than the last one.’ And the next time I hit him he said, ‘That was your best one, son.’ So I thought, oh well I must be getting over the old fellow. He said, ‘But next time you’d better hit me with the ball. Have a look up the other end of the field.’ Well what Clive had done he’d sucked me in, the winger come from the blind side, he give him the ball, Ian Moir it was in those days, give him the ball and Moir was putting the ball down between the posts as I was talking to Churchill. And I always admired Churchill immensely from that day, more than what I admired him before. And it was a great pleasure, having tackled Clive Churchill, it was a great pleasure getting a lesson from him."

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