Former Wallabies to feature in Rugby’s Centenary Celebration
17 April 2009; Simon Davis

Former Wallabies Matt Cockbain and Dave Fitter are looking forward to playing with the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club (MURFC) in 2009 - the centenary year for the Victorian Rugby Union (VRU). After very successful professional rugby careers Dave Fitter recently commenced hisBiomedicine studies at the University of Melbourne while Matt Cockbain who played 63 tests for Australia re-located to Melbourne in 2007 to play with the Melbourne REBELS. During their time at MURFC both players have imparted a significant amount of knowledge on to the growing player base at MURFC. 

Pre-season training has been good with large numbers and a lot of new faces including international students and school leavers. Games have been played in Albury, Wagga Wagga and Wyndham City and the players are eagerly waiting to play round one on Saturday 18 April against rivals Box Hill, building on 2008 results where all teams competed in the Finals. 

The increase in the number of younger players is a result of the Colts winning the premiership in 2008 and the establishment of the Melbourne University Rugby Academy which is designed to attract prospective students to the University and the rugby club.  MURFC Club President Simon Davis says schoolboy rugby in Victorian has grown significantly over the past few years. “However the retention rate from schools to senior clubs is very low. Our goals are to increase the retention rate and assist the development of high quality community rugby in Victoria through the Academy program, Peter Hone Scholarship Fund and other community initiatives.”
The Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) this year celebrates its centenary. The local competition was launched in 1909 in which the Melbourne University RFC competed against teams from Melbourne, East Melbourne, South Melbourne and St Kilda for the Dewar Shield. Under the captaincy of W J Carroll, the side finished second, with E D Ahern, D G Duffy, S Macky and H Leahy selected to play for Victoria against New South Wales. While University were runners-up in 1909, they went on to win the local premiership in 1910. In the same year, a University of Melbourne side also competed in an international universities rugby carnival in Sydney. A story about this rugby tour in the Melbourne University Magazine, June 1910, reported that “from the beginning, great was the mirth and frolic”.
This year also marks the 100 year anniversary of the first match between Sydney University Football Club and MURFC. To celebrate this achievement an exhibition match will be played on the Queens Birthday Weekend, Saturday 6th June between the two clubs at University Oval in the Melbourne University Sport Precinct. The program will feature a curtain-raiser between traditional college rivals Trinity and Ormond. The MURFC v SUFC game will be a Barbarian style match featuring former Wallabies on both teams. The entertainment will continue that evening, with a Foundation Dinner at University House. A large contingent from SUFC is expected to travel to Melbourne for the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

MURFC has gone from strength to strength over the last few years with player numbers increasing substantially and the club enjoying success both on and off the field. The club has a strong multi-cultural membership, with backgrounds in over 15 countries, catering for over 200 winter members, and over 300 summer members through its very successful Royal Park Touch summer competition. As the Premier division rugby club in the municipality, MURFC is proud to have the support of local and national corporates including SprintGas, Dixon Advisory, Costa Exchange, Pageset, SEEK, Imperial Hotel, JAG, Armadale Travel, Rugby Fever, The Good Guys and City Baths Physio, enabling it to provide one of the best rugby frameworks in Victoria. MURFC Vice-President MURFC Craig Albiston says that “2009 is another very exciting year for the rugby club with a number of special events planned, we will continue to focus on the benefits of connecting sport, education, the community and business”.

From left, MURFC players Pathology PhD student Jeremy Welton and first year Arts student Ed Cormie with Wallaby Legend Matt Cockbain at a recent pre-season training session on campus.

For further information please contact:

Simon Davis, MURFC President 0408 999-8470
Craig Albiston, MURFC Vice-President 0425 704-042
www.melbourneunirugby.com
H.G Smith Oval, Macarthur Rd, Royal Park,
Training Tues & Thursday evenings 6:30-8pm