Sydney: Former Wallabies captain Ken Catchpole, considered one of the greats of Australian rugby, has died aged 78 following a long illness, Rugby Australia said on Friday.
Affectionately known as “Catchy,” he played 27 Tests, 13 as skipper, and formed one of the game’s enduring scrum-half partnerships with fly-half Phil Hawthorne.
Catchpole captained Australia at 21 on his international debut against Fiji in 1961 and went on to become an influential figure in Australian rugby throughout that decade.
He suffered a career-ending injury in 1968 at the age of 28 when he was seriously hurt in a brutal tackle by All Black legend Colin Meads.
“Ken wasn’t just a remarkable rugby player but also a remarkable man,” Rugby Australia board member and former Wallabies skipper Paul McLean said.
