The Living Books Breakfast in Term 3 was a morning that will remain etched in the memories of those in the room. Held in the Resources Centre, the event welcomed some of the most revered figures in Australian rugby to share their stories from their time on and off the field.
As Br Anthony Boyd welcomed Matthew Burke (1990) back to Joeys, he also noted the real privilege and honour in having three rugby greats in attendance who had all held the William Webb Ellis trophy. “Matthew is known to us all as an Old Boy of the College. He played in the First XV in 1989 and 1990 and he was a member of the 1999 Wallabies World Cup winning team,” said Br Anthony. “Matthew had Bledisloe Cup wins over five years … he has had victories also over the British and Irish Lions. He played 81 test caps for the Wallabies, 54 at fullback and he is the most capped Australian fullback. For New South Wales, he scored over ,1000 points and for Australia, 875 points. He also did pretty well for Joeys!”
Br Anthony shared how at one stage in history, “St Joseph’s claimed that we had Old Boys in the three most important positions in the country: the Governor General, Sir William Deane; the Chief Justice of the High Court, Murray Gleeson; and the fullback for the Wallabies, Matthew Burke”.
Rugby legend Matthew Burke spoke about returning to Joeys with a sense of nostalgia and pride. Reflecting on his journey from the fields of Joeys to then playing rugby for Australia, Matthew expressed his gratitude for the foundational values instilled in him during his years at Joeys. “A lot of what I learned about the fundamentals of the game was here at Joeys,” Matthew shared. “Doing your job at the time is the most important thing that you need to do. Don’t get distracted by anything else. For me, it was about being a great teammate – a great team member – and that’s how I played the game.”
Matthew’s anecdotes, such as the tactical “jumping up and down” to mask the smaller size of Joeys’ players on the field, and his clear understanding of pressure as a function of time and space, resonated with the Joeys boys in attendance. “You just have to make the decision in your head that little bit faster, and that’s the only difference as you rise the ranks,” he explained, highlighting how the lessons learned at Joeys translated seamlessly into his professional career. His message was clear: greatness is built on consistency, simplicity and the unwavering commitment to doing your job – whether on the rugby field or in life.
Gordon Bray: The voice of rugby
In introducing Gordon Bray, Australia’s iconic voice of rugby, Br Anthony noted that Gordon is an ex-student of Homebush Boys High, “where his love of rugby and all sports developed”.
“He was a talented player himself as a schoolboy – he represented Combined High Schools, in the days when Combined High Schools were a lot stronger than they are today; and he later represented the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Club.”
Gordon’s career began when he joined the ABC as a sports commentator in 1969, spending his early years in Hobart commentating on Australian Rules. Since then, he has worked with Channel 10, Seven and Fox, and recently on 2GB calling several sports for the Paris Olympics.
However, Br Anthony noted, “rugby is his real passion … he’s rightly been known as the ‘voice of rugby’ in Australia for many, many years. Gordon is renowned for his detailed research about players and the game”.
In 2000, Gordon was awarded the Australian Sports medal; in 2005 he was awarded the Member of Order of Australia. He received the Penguin Award for Sports Broadcasting and in 2021 was inducted into the Sydney Cricket Ground Hall of Media Fame. He is an ambassador for Legacy, and even has a street named after him in Lidcombe, Gordon Bray Circuit.
“In our Centenary year, Gordon was invited to Joeys to referee the final Possibles v Probables selection trial for the First XV,” recalled Br Anthony. Reflecting on his connection to Joeys, Gordon responded: “I remember that final Possibles v Probables trial game – you can imagine how big that game was. It was one of the toughest games I’ve ever refereed.”
At the Living Books Breakfast, Gordon entertained with a wealth of stories from his illustrious career, as he unveiled the XV immortals in his book “The Immortals of Australian Rugby Union”. Having commentated on more than 400 Test matches and 12 Olympic Games, Gordon’s insights into the game and its players were as detailed as they were inspiring.
Gordon also paid tribute to Br Anthony Boyd, acknowledging his dedication not only as a coach but as a custodian of the values that make Joeys a special place. “I think you will all agree, Br Anthony definitely qualifies as an immortal of St Joseph’s College,” Bray remarked, highlighting the impact of Br Anthony’s leadership on generations of Joeys boys. He also shared a poignant quote from Michael Lynagh, one of the immortals in his book, “You will only get out of this school what you put into it”. This message, Gordon noted, was a guiding principle that Lynagh carried with him throughout his life and career.
Nick Farr-Jones: An inspiring captain
Nick Farr-Jones rightly takes his place as one of Gordon Bray’s immortals, having played 62 Tests for Australia between 1984 and 1993, 36 as captain, including at the 1991 World Cup. In November 1984, while studying law at Sydney University, Nick made his Test debut against England. On the 1984 tour, the Wallabies were the first Australian team to win all four Tests against England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He played in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and was named Australian captain the following year.
In 1991, Nick recalled that he was sitting there at Lansdowne Road in Dublin at his last World Cup and he was off the field injured in the match when a Michael Lynagh try in the final minute sealed the win against Ireland. “We did prevail in the end and went through to that great semifinal against the All Blacks, then on to win the World Cup against England at Twickenham,” he said.
“We went through a significant cultural change after the loss to the British Lions in 1989, where we concluded we were too desperate to win [so] we became a team that individually and collectively understood what process was about, getting your job right in your position, minimising the errors, trusting the people around you to do exactly that same thing.”
The 1992 season was highly successful with Nick captaining the Wallabies to victory in the Bledisloe Cup and then against South Africa in a one-off test in Cape Town.
As a schoolboy, Nick had arrived at Newington College having never played rugby – he was slotted straight into the 12As and played rugby through to Year 12, despite not making the First XV. “I was a soccer player, I loved tennis, I loved golf and I loved football. I remember the very first winter training and I asked, ‘is there a position for me?’ and the coach said, ‘yes, the great thing about rugby is that there is a position for everyone … the littlest kid gets the number nine jersey’, and that would become the passport to the world for me!”
Richard Tombs: A story of resilience
Richard Tombs, former Wallaby and General Manager of Hearts in Rugby Union, shared his deeply personal story of resilience. Richard, who was also a member of the 1991 World Cup-winning squad, spoke about his life-altering spinal injury in 2018 and how he has since dedicated himself to supporting others through his work with Hearts in Rugby Union. “There’s plenty of charities Gordon could have donated to or designated his profits to. I’m very proud and privileged that he chose Hearts in Rugby Union to designate the money towards, and I really appreciate it,” Tombs said, expressing his gratitude for Bray’s generous support in donating profits from his book to the charity. Richard’s presence at the event was a powerful reminder of the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of supporting one another through its challenges.
The Living Books Breakfast was a celebration of rugby – with a screening of highlights from the 1991 Wallabies World Cup win – and a tribute to the values that St Joseph’s College instils in its students. Values we see reflected in the careers and lives of these rugby legends. The stories shared by Gordon Bray, Matthew Burke, Nick Farr-Jones and Richard Tombs were about their successes as well as the lessons they learned along the way – about their love of rugby and the importance of teamwork and giving back.
As Joeys boys left the event, they carried with them not just autographs and memories of meeting their heroes, but something far more valuable: the understanding that greatness is not just about talent or achievements, but about the consistency of effort, the commitment to one’s team and the drive to make a positive impact in the world. These rugby legends have undoubtedly inspired Joeys boys to strive for excellence, both on and off the field.
In the words of Aristotle, as quoted by Gordon Bray, “Quality is not an act. It’s a habit”.
