Ted Fahey
Encyclopedia
Edward Joseph "Ted" Fahey (7 July 1888 – 23 August 1950) was an Australia
n rugby union
player and World War I
artilleryman. He was a state and national representative lock forward who made two international rugby tours and who captained the Wallabies on their 1913 tour of New Zealand.
in Sydney. He would go on to become a stalwart for the club making 73 first-grade appearances over a twelve year period interrupted by World War I
. In 1914 redrawn catchment boundaries affecting the then applicable residential club eligibility criteria, forced Fahey to switch and play for the neighbouring Randwick Rugby Club
. He captained Randwick in 1914 and made 11 first-grade appearances for that club.
After the war when the Australian domestic rugby season restarted, Fahey had the difficult task of captaining Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club
in that rebirth season of 1919 when the game struggled to capture a public interest which had turned more to rugby league
in the intervening years.
in 1910 appearing in two fixtures against a touring All Blacks
side and two matches against the New Zealand Maori
. In 1911 he played in both interstate fixtures against the Queensland
with the Waratahs prevailing in each.
Fahey's first opportunity to represent his country came in 1912 when he was selected in the national side to tour the USA and Canada. Fahey played in fifteen of the sixteen tour matches including the sole Test of the tour played against the US national side at Berkeley on 16 November 1912 and which the Wallabies won 12-8. The tour was a disappointment with the squad billeted out in college fraternity houses where the hospitality played havoc with team discipline and as result the team lost against two California University sides and three Canadian provincial sides. However Fahey returned with his reputation intact and became club captain for Easts in season 1913 and made further state appearances that year as well as touring with the Wallabies to New Zealand as vice-captain. He played in six of the nine tour matches and when tour captain Larry Dwyer
was injured in the third match against Wanganui, Ted Fahey's opportunity came to captain his country. He captained the Wallabies in the first two Tests in September 1913 and in a tour match against Southland. He missed the 3rd Test through injury. He made further representative appearances in 1914 when the All Blacks
toured Australia playing for a metropolitan Sydney side, for New South Wales and for Australia in the sole Test of a tour which interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War.
At the war's end in 1919 Fahey captained a New South Wales and an Australian side in matches against an AIF
team. All told Fahey made 25 international appearances for Australia including four Test cap appearances, two as captain.
. Ted was demobilised at the War
's end, returning to Sydney in December 1918. His brother also survived the war.
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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 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 and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
artilleryman. He was a state and national representative lock forward who made two international rugby tours and who captained the Wallabies on their 1913 tour of New Zealand.
School & club rugby
Fahey was born in Sydney, New South Wales and schooled at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. He captained their GPS premiership winning XV of 1907 and the Combined GPS schoolboy representative side that same year. After school he joined the Eastern Suburbs Rugby ClubEastern Suburbs RUFC
The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales....
in Sydney. He would go on to become a stalwart for the club making 73 first-grade appearances over a twelve year period interrupted by World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1914 redrawn catchment boundaries affecting the then applicable residential club eligibility criteria, forced Fahey to switch and play for the neighbouring Randwick Rugby Club
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...
. He captained Randwick in 1914 and made 11 first-grade appearances for that club.
After the war when the Australian domestic rugby season restarted, Fahey had the difficult task of captaining Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club
Eastern Suburbs RUFC
The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales....
in that rebirth season of 1919 when the game struggled to capture a public interest which had turned more to 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...
in the intervening years.
Representative career
He made his representative debut for New South WalesNew 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 1910 appearing in two fixtures against a touring 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....
side and two matches against the New Zealand Maori
New Zealand Maori
New Zealand Māori can refer to:* People of Māori descent* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori rugby league team* New Zealand Māori cricket team...
. In 1911 he played in both interstate fixtures against the Queensland
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
with the Waratahs prevailing in each.
Fahey's first opportunity to represent his country came in 1912 when he was selected in the national side to tour the USA and Canada. Fahey played in fifteen of the sixteen tour matches including the sole Test of the tour played against the US national side at Berkeley on 16 November 1912 and which the Wallabies won 12-8. The tour was a disappointment with the squad billeted out in college fraternity houses where the hospitality played havoc with team discipline and as result the team lost against two California University sides and three Canadian provincial sides. However Fahey returned with his reputation intact and became club captain for Easts in season 1913 and made further state appearances that year as well as touring with the Wallabies to New Zealand as vice-captain. He played in six of the nine tour matches and when tour captain Larry Dwyer
Larry Dwyer
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Dwyer was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative fullback who captained the Wallabies in 1913.Dwyer, a fullback, was born in Orange, New South Wales...
was injured in the third match against Wanganui, Ted Fahey's opportunity came to captain his country. He captained the Wallabies in the first two Tests in September 1913 and in a tour match against Southland. He missed the 3rd Test through injury. He made further representative appearances in 1914 when 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....
toured Australia playing for a metropolitan Sydney side, for New South Wales and for Australia in the sole Test of a tour which interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War.
At the war's end in 1919 Fahey captained a New South Wales and an Australian side in matches against an AIF
AIF
AIF may refer to:*AIF , refer List of role-playing games by name*Accredited Investment Fiduciary*Adult Interactive fiction, a game genre*American India Foundation*Anti-Iraqi Forces*Apoptosis inducing factor...
team. All told Fahey made 25 international appearances for Australia including four Test cap appearances, two as captain.
War service
Fahey was aged 28 when together with his younger brother Walter he enlisted as a Gunner in 1916 with Field Artillery Brigade 7 of the AIF. They were posted to the same unit which left Sydney in May 1916 on board HMAT A8 Argyllshire and saw service on the Western FrontWestern Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
. Ted was demobilised at the War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
's end, returning to Sydney in December 1918. His brother also survived the war.
Honours and awards
- British War MedalBritish War MedalThe British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
- Victory Medal
Sources
- Howell, Max (2005) Born to Lead - Wallaby Test Captains, Celebrity Books, Auckland NZ