Shawn Mackay
Encyclopedia
Shawn Mackay was an Australian rugby union
player with the Canberra
based Brumbies in the Super 14
competition. He was the son of former Eastern Suburbs
rugby league
player John Mackay
.
vice Captain Morgan Turinui
. Mackay and Turinui attended St Anthony's in Clovelly and Waverley College
together. He was the best man at Turinui's wedding and godfather to his son Felix. These two great mates played together in the Waverley College
First XV, along with Mackay's fellow Brumbies teammates Stephen Hoiles
and Patrick Phibbs
.
Mackay signed with the Sydney Roosters
in the NRL
in 2000, and won a Premiership with their Jersey Flegg side in 2002. He returned to rugby union in 2004 with the Australian Sevens, and became the Captain of the team in 2005 through until 2008. He was the team captain at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
. Mackay signed with the Waratahs
in 2006 and won 6 state caps for the NSW side. In 2007 he played with the Melbourne Rebels
in the Australian Rugby Championship
. Mackay signed with the Brumbies for the 2009 Super 14 season and won 2 caps for the Canberra outfit. He played with Randwick
for 4 seasons, and joined the University of Brisbane at the completion of the 2008 Sevens calendar.
Mackay coached the Australian women's Sevens team to the Oceania title in 2008. The team was undefeated and they qualified for the inaugural women's IRB World Cup 7's tournament. The team would go on to win the inaugural event in March 2009. Cheryl Soon, the teams captain, affectionately called Mackay "one of the girls". Mackay had said to the side that if Sevens became an Olympic Sport then he would have returned to coach the side.
on 28 March 2009. At 4:15 am, 29 March 2009, Mackay and 15 Brumbies teammates (Mark Gerrard
, Stirling Mortlock
, Nic Henderson
, George Smith, Josh Holmes
, Christian Lealiifano
, Salesi Ma'afu
, Adam Ashley-Cooper
, Gene Fairbanks
, Patrick Phibbs
, Ben Hand, Huia Edmonds
, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo
and Peter Kimlin
) left a Durban nightclub. While crossing the road to board the team bus, Shawn was hit by an armed response vehicle
. He suffered a badly broken leg, along with head and spinal injuries. One of the first people to attend to Mackay was Sharks prop Jannie du Plessis
, a practising doctor, who was with the Brumbies group at the time. Du Plessis contacted emergency services and helped Mackay breathe while awaiting their arrival. Mackay was stabilised and taken to St Augustine's hospital in Durban and placed into a medically induced coma. Mackay died from a cardiac arrest caused by a blood infection following surgery on 6 April 2009.
A Minutes Applause was held in Mackay's honour for the Brumbies emotional homecoming against the Stormers
on 11 April 2009. The Brumbies won the game 17-10. Shawn's longtime friend Patrick Phibbs
scored the match winning try in the 60th minute. "That one was for Macca," said Phibbs.
Mackay's funeral was held on 15 April 2009 at Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley
. Seven jerseys were placed on his coffin to recognize his rugby career - the Clovelly Sea Eagles, Waverley College, the Roosters, Randwick, the Melbourne Rebels, the Australian Sevens and the Brumbies. Celebrant Father Lucas profoundly said: "He might not have had a full life, but it sounds to me he was full of life."
The Brumbies dedicated the 2009 Super 14 to Shawn. The number 18 jersey, that he wore in the match against the Sharks, was retired for the remainder of the season.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player with the Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
based Brumbies in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition. He was the son of former Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player John Mackay
John Mackay (rugby league)
John Mackay was a rugby league player in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. He played with Sydney clubs Sydney Roosters in the years 1976, 1978-1979 and 1983-1988...
.
Career
Mackay began playing rugby as a 6 year old for the Clovelly Sea Eagles, alongside great friend and former WallabiesAustralia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
vice Captain Morgan Turinui
Morgan Turinui
Morgan Turinui is an Australian rugby union footballer who currently plays for French rugby side Stade Francais.-Early life:...
. Mackay and Turinui attended St Anthony's in Clovelly and Waverley College
Waverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
together. He was the best man at Turinui's wedding and godfather to his son Felix. These two great mates played together in the Waverley College
Waverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
First XV, along with Mackay's fellow Brumbies teammates Stephen Hoiles
Stephen Hoiles
Stephen Hoiles is an Australian rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the Brumbies in the international Super 14 competition. Hoiles previously played for the New South Wales Waratahs. He has also played for the national team, the Wallabies.-Career:...
and Patrick Phibbs
Patrick Phibbs
-Career:Since his 2005 debut against the Reds, Phibbs has played over 70 Super 14 games. He played his Junior Rugby with Randwick DRUFC and attended Waverley College in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney where he played First XV in 1999 alongside Wallabies Morgan Turinui and Stephen Hoiles as well as...
.
Mackay signed with the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
in 2000, and won a Premiership with their Jersey Flegg side in 2002. He returned to rugby union in 2004 with the Australian Sevens, and became the Captain of the team in 2005 through until 2008. He was the team captain at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Rugby Sevens at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were the third Games at which Rugby sevens was played. It is one of the male-only sports at the Commonwealth Games, the other being Boxing. The venue for the Rugby Sevens was the Telstra Dome, on the western edge of Melbourne's Central Business District...
. Mackay signed with the Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
in 2006 and won 6 state caps for the NSW side. In 2007 he played with the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
in the Australian Rugby Championship
Australian Rugby Championship
The Australian Rugby Championship, often abbreviated to the ARC , was a domestic Rugby union football club competition in Australia which ran for only one season in August–October 2007...
. Mackay signed with the Brumbies for the 2009 Super 14 season and won 2 caps for the Canberra outfit. He played with Randwick
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
for 4 seasons, and joined the University of Brisbane at the completion of the 2008 Sevens calendar.
Mackay coached the Australian women's Sevens team to the Oceania title in 2008. The team was undefeated and they qualified for the inaugural women's IRB World Cup 7's tournament. The team would go on to win the inaugural event in March 2009. Cheryl Soon, the teams captain, affectionately called Mackay "one of the girls". Mackay had said to the side that if Sevens became an Olympic Sport then he would have returned to coach the side.
Death
Mackay played for the Brumbies in their 35-14 loss to the Sharks in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
on 28 March 2009. At 4:15 am, 29 March 2009, Mackay and 15 Brumbies teammates (Mark Gerrard
Mark Gerrard
Mark Gerrard is an Australian professional rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby competition. In 2011 he was one of 10 players nominated to become the competition's Super Rugby player of the year....
, Stirling Mortlock
Stirling Mortlock
Stirling Austin Mortlock is an Australian professional rugby union player. He has scored over 1,000 points in Super Rugby, and nearly 500 test points for the Wallabies. Mortlock is a former Wallaby and Brumbies captain, and the current captain of the Melbourne Rebels.-Early life:Mortlock began...
, Nic Henderson
Nic Henderson
Nic Henderson , is an Australian rugby union player. He has moved from the CA Brumbies to the Melbourne Rebels for the 2011 season. He also has three test caps.-External links:* *...
, George Smith, Josh Holmes
Josh Holmes (rugby)
Josh Holmes is an Australian rugby union player who plays for the New South Wales Waratahs. His preferred position is scrum half.-Career:...
, Christian Lealiifano
Christian Lealiifano
Christian Lealiifano , is an Australian rugby union player. He currently plays for the ACT Brumbies wearing the number 10 jersey. In May 2010 the Waikato Rugby Union announced that they had signed Christian to become their new No.10 for the forthcoming ITM Cup...
, Salesi Ma'afu
Salesi Ma'afu
Salesi Ma'afu, is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer. Ma'afu was selected to the Qantas Wallabies squad in 2009 and again in 2011 after having appeared for Australia A in 2007 and 2008...
, Adam Ashley-Cooper
Adam Ashley-Cooper
Adam Ashley-Cooper is an Australian rugby union footballer. He he has signed with the NSW Waratahs in the international Super Rugby competition for 2012 and also plays for Australia. He was educated at the Berkeley Vale High School and played his junior rugby for Ourimbah on the NSW Central Coast...
, Gene Fairbanks
Gene Fairbanks
Gene Fairbanks is an Australian rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the Brumbies in the international Super 14 competition. His usual position is at inside centre or fly-half.-Career:...
, Patrick Phibbs
Patrick Phibbs
-Career:Since his 2005 debut against the Reds, Phibbs has played over 70 Super 14 games. He played his Junior Rugby with Randwick DRUFC and attended Waverley College in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney where he played First XV in 1999 alongside Wallabies Morgan Turinui and Stephen Hoiles as well as...
, Ben Hand, Huia Edmonds
Huia Edmonds
Huia Edmonds is an Australian rugby union footballer. He currently plays Hooker for the Brumbies in the international Super 14 competition.-Career:...
, Tyrone Smith, Francis Fainifo
Francis Fainifo
Francis Fainifo is a rugby union player for the Brumbies in the Super 14 competition. He plays on the wing. He was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has played international rugby with Australia 'A'....
and Peter Kimlin
Peter Kimlin
Peter Kimlin is an Australian rugby union football player who signed a short term contract with the Exeter Chiefs during the 2010/11 season. He plays as a lock. He signed from ACT Brumbies.-External links:*...
) left a Durban nightclub. While crossing the road to board the team bus, Shawn was hit by an armed response vehicle
Armed Response Vehicle
An armed response vehicle is a type of police car operated by the British police. ARVs are crewed by Authorised Firearms Officers to respond to emergency telephone calls believed to involve firearms or other high-risk situations...
. He suffered a badly broken leg, along with head and spinal injuries. One of the first people to attend to Mackay was Sharks prop Jannie du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Jan Nathaniel "Jannie" du Plessis is a South African rugby union player, who plays as a prop for South Africa and the Sharks in Super Rugby...
, a practising doctor, who was with the Brumbies group at the time. Du Plessis contacted emergency services and helped Mackay breathe while awaiting their arrival. Mackay was stabilised and taken to St Augustine's hospital in Durban and placed into a medically induced coma. Mackay died from a cardiac arrest caused by a blood infection following surgery on 6 April 2009.
A Minutes Applause was held in Mackay's honour for the Brumbies emotional homecoming against the Stormers
Stormers
The Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
on 11 April 2009. The Brumbies won the game 17-10. Shawn's longtime friend Patrick Phibbs
Patrick Phibbs
-Career:Since his 2005 debut against the Reds, Phibbs has played over 70 Super 14 games. He played his Junior Rugby with Randwick DRUFC and attended Waverley College in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney where he played First XV in 1999 alongside Wallabies Morgan Turinui and Stephen Hoiles as well as...
scored the match winning try in the 60th minute. "That one was for Macca," said Phibbs.
Mackay's funeral was held on 15 April 2009 at Mary Immaculate Church in Waverley
Waverley, New South Wales
Waverley is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waverley is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council....
. Seven jerseys were placed on his coffin to recognize his rugby career - the Clovelly Sea Eagles, Waverley College, the Roosters, Randwick, the Melbourne Rebels, the Australian Sevens and the Brumbies. Celebrant Father Lucas profoundly said: "He might not have had a full life, but it sounds to me he was full of life."
The Brumbies dedicated the 2009 Super 14 to Shawn. The number 18 jersey, that he wore in the match against the Sharks, was retired for the remainder of the season.
External links
- Brumbies profile
- Rugbyheaven.com.au - Mackay's family thanks Brumbies, 11 May 2009