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Crittle and Sayle inducted as Honorary Life Members
Thursday, 21 February 2008
NSWRU Media Unit
Two legends of NSW and Australian Rugby were last night inducted as Honorary Life Members of the NSW Rugby Union.
Peter Crittle AO and Jeff Sayle OAM have long been stalwarts of the game in Australia, their names synonymous with the sport and now immortalised as just the 69th and 70th Honorary Life Members in the 134 year history of the Union
NSWRU Chief Executive Officer Jim L'Estrange said the honour was befitting of two great servants of the game.
"Peter Crittle and Jeff Sayle are synonymous with Rugby in Australia, staying involved long after their distinguished playing careers ended," said Mr Petersen.
"Peter's service to the game has covered all levels, right up to the Presidency of the ARU, while Jeff is the heart and soul of the Randwick club.
"Both have touched many lives in Rugby on and off the field, and now their place in the history of the NSWRU has been confirmed forever."
Their names will now be recorded on a new Honour Board, presented at the AGM by Billy Simpson on behalf of all NSWRU Honorary Life Members.
Charles Peter Crittle AO was capped eight times for NSW between 1964 and 1966, and played 15 Tests for Australia between 1962 and 1967. A highly respected backrower, Crittle played for Sydney University up until one year after graduation (as was required at the time), when he joined Eastern Suburbs. He later led Easts to their first Premiership in 22 years in 1969.
Crittle successfully coached Sydney and NSW sides between 1980 and 1985, before turning his hand to administration. He served as NSWRU President from 1993 to 1999, Vice President of the ARU from 1994 and then ARU President from 2001 to 2005, overseeing the highly successful 2003 Rugby World Cup. He was Awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, and was elevated to Officer of the Order of Australia in 2004 for services to the game.
Jeffrey Leonard Sayle OAM is a Randwick stalwart and a distinguished member of the district's sporting community. A respected and long-serving player (backrower) and coach, Sayle was capped three times for the Waratahs in 1967 (later becoming coach of the state side) and reached the pinnacle with a Test cap in the 1967 Bledisloe Cup at Wellington's Athletic Park.
One of the great raconteurs of Australian sport, Sayle was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 for services to Rugby, and in 2006 received the Order of Australia Medal for services to Randwick Rugby and Coogee Surf Life Saving Clubs. He is the patron of the Randwick Rugby Club and the Jeffrey Sayle Pavilion at Latham Park, Randwick's training ground, is named in his honour.
Also at the AGM, Ken Catchpole OAM completed his tenure as President of the Union, with former Vice President Peter Medway voted into the role.
Barry Killham also stepped down as a NSWRU Director, with Geoff Garland the new Youth Rugby representative on the Board.
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