Stirling Mortlock
Encyclopedia
Stirling Austin Mortlock (born 20 May 1977 in Sydney) is an Australia
n 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
.
, Sydney. He represented Gordon Juniors at Colt level and still represents Gordon
at club level today. He represented Australia at Under 19 and Under 21 level before pursuing a professional career with the Brumbies.
as ACT Brumbies Captain in 2004 and played every game that season except the final due to injury and thus was unable to lead the team to claim the Super 12 title that year.
plucked Mortlock out of club rugby at the young age of 20 to tour Argentina with the Wallabies in 1997.
In 2000, he made his Test debut against Argentina
.
2000 was a landmark year for Mortlock - he became the fastest Australian to reach 50 and 100 Test points, he scored the most points and highest number of penalties [16] by any Australian in his first five Tests and created history by becoming the first Australian to score 20 points or more in four consecutive Tests. With the Wallaby team, Mortlock was instrumental in the famous Bledisloe and Tri-Nation Series' Victories of 2000. He scored a sideline penalty goal in 2000 against South Africa in Durban
to win Australia's first Tri Nations crown.
Mortlock won man-of-the-match and had an 80-metre intercept try at then-Telstra Stadium
to help knock the All Blacks
out of the 2003 Rugby World Cup
in the semifinal.
In 2006, Mortlock became the 73rd player to captain the Wallabies. In 2007, Mortlock was made co-captain with Phil Waugh
.
In February 2008, Mortlock announced that he hoped to continue playing with the Wallabies until at least the end of 2010. Australian Rugby Union CEO John O'Neill
endorsed this decision saying that Mortlock is a "real captain courageous" and an "inspirational leader".
He missed Wallabies' selection in October 2010. A press release from the Rebels said Mortlock was recuperating after surgery, and hoped to be "training in full by December."
signed Mortlock in March 2010, to a three-year deal for an undisclosed amount.
Mortlock was declared the Rebels' inaugural Captain on 2 February 2011, with former Wales international Gareth Delve
as Vice-Captain.
in 2002. In 2008, Mortlock's ability to score tries and kick goals positioned him third on the all-time list of Australian Test point scorers (with 473 points). In May 2009, in the Super 14 match between the Auckland Blues and the ACT Brumbies Mortlock became the highest points scorer in Super Rugby history, surpassing New Zealand's Andrew Mehrtens
. He currently sits on 1019 Super Rugby points. He is the sixth player for the Brumbies to achieve 100 caps.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional rugby union
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. He has scored over 1,000 points in Super Rugby, and nearly 500 test points for the Wallabies
Australia 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...
. Mortlock is a former Wallaby and Brumbies captain, and the current captain of 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...
.
Early life
Mortlock began playing rugby with Lindfield Juniors. Mortlock was educated at The King's School in ParramattaParramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
, Sydney. He represented Gordon Juniors at Colt level and still represents Gordon
Gordon RFC
Gordon Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales. The club, known as the Highlanders, play out of Chatswood Oval and compete in the New South Wales Rugby Union grade competition.-Club information:...
at club level today. He represented Australia at Under 19 and Under 21 level before pursuing a professional career with the Brumbies.
Professional career
Brumbies career
In 1998, Mortlock joined the ACT Brumbies. He succeeded George GreganGeorge Gregan
George Musarurwa Gregan AM is an Australian rugby union halfback who has made more appearances for his national team than any other player in the sport's history....
as ACT Brumbies Captain in 2004 and played every game that season except the final due to injury and thus was unable to lead the team to claim the Super 12 title that year.
Wallabies career
Then Wallaby coach Rod McQueenRod McQueen
Rod Macqueen was coach of the most successful Australian rugby union side to date. He has signed on to become the inaugural coach of the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby side.-Career:...
plucked Mortlock out of club rugby at the young age of 20 to tour Argentina with the Wallabies in 1997.
In 2000, he made his Test debut against Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
.
2000 was a landmark year for Mortlock - he became the fastest Australian to reach 50 and 100 Test points, he scored the most points and highest number of penalties [16] by any Australian in his first five Tests and created history by becoming the first Australian to score 20 points or more in four consecutive Tests. With the Wallaby team, Mortlock was instrumental in the famous Bledisloe and Tri-Nation Series' Victories of 2000. He scored a sideline penalty goal in 2000 against South Africa in Durban
Durban
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...
to win Australia's first Tri Nations crown.
Mortlock won man-of-the-match and had an 80-metre intercept try at then-Telstra Stadium
Telstra Stadium
Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
to help knock the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
out of the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
in the semifinal.
In 2006, Mortlock became the 73rd player to captain the Wallabies. In 2007, Mortlock was made co-captain with Phil Waugh
Phil Waugh
Phillip Waugh is an Australian rugby union player, widely regarded as one of the world's leading flankers.His career as a player began at the Shore School, Captaining the school's team in 1997...
.
In February 2008, Mortlock announced that he hoped to continue playing with the Wallabies until at least the end of 2010. Australian Rugby Union CEO John O'Neill
John O'Neill (sport administrator)
John O'Neill is an Australian sporting administrator. He has been involved with both rugby union and football at the national level, after being head of the NSW State Bank...
endorsed this decision saying that Mortlock is a "real captain courageous" and an "inspirational leader".
He missed Wallabies' selection in October 2010. A press release from the Rebels said Mortlock was recuperating after surgery, and hoped to be "training in full by December."
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne RebelsMelbourne 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...
signed Mortlock in March 2010, to a three-year deal for an undisclosed amount.
Mortlock was declared the Rebels' inaugural Captain on 2 February 2011, with former Wales international Gareth Delve
Gareth Delve
Gareth Leon Delve is a Wales international rugby union player. In 2010 he captained Gloucester in the English Guinness Premiership, before moving to Australia where he became vice captain of the Melbourne Rebels. His usual position is number 8...
as Vice-Captain.
Records & awards
Mortlock was named Super Rugby player of the yearSuper Rugby player of the year
Super Rugby player of the year is an accolade awarded annually.-List of winners and nominees:...
in 2002. In 2008, Mortlock's ability to score tries and kick goals positioned him third on the all-time list of Australian Test point scorers (with 473 points). In May 2009, in the Super 14 match between the Auckland Blues and the ACT Brumbies Mortlock became the highest points scorer in Super Rugby history, surpassing New Zealand's Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
. He currently sits on 1019 Super Rugby points. He is the sixth player for the Brumbies to achieve 100 caps.
External links
- Stirling Mortlock
- Stirling Mortlock Melbourne Rebels profile
- Stirling Mortlock and Rod Macqueen photo from Getty Images
- Stirling Mortlock Wallabies profile
- Stirling Mortlock Brumbies profile from archive.org