TWF Commence Sharpie Appreciation Week

[Burgs]

Nathan Sharpe Wins John Eales Medal as TWF Commence Sharpie Appreciation Week

Monday, July 23, 2007 7:20pm
ARU

Wallabies lock and Emirates Western Force skipper Nathan Sharpe has won Australian Test Rugby’s most prestigious award, polling 170 votes from his Wallaby teammates to take out the 2007 John Eales Medal.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sharpe placed second in the John Eales Medal voting in 2006, only to go one better this year, ahead of fellow forwards Wycliff Palu (134 votes) and Guy Shepherdson (131 votes) who polled second and third respectively.
He started in all four of the Wallabies’ 2006 Spring Tour Tests and then six of the Wallabies seven winter Tests this year, missing only the third Test, against Fiji in Perth.
The 3-2-1 votes that determine the John Eales Medalist were taken from the Wallaby 22 after every Test match of last year’s Spring Tour and this year’s Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.
Sharpe is the fifth forward to win Rugby’s top honour and joins Chris Latham (the only back to have won the award), Jeremy Paul, David Lyons, Phil Waugh and George Smith as John Eales Medalists.
John Eales awarded the Medal to Sharpe at a black tie dinner at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

JOHN EALES MEDALISTS

2007 - Nathan Sharpe
2006 - Chris Latham
2005 - Jeremy Paul
2004 - David Lyons
2003 - Phil Waugh
2002 - George Smith

2007 JOHN EALES MEDAL WINNER

Nathan SHARPE , WALLABY TEST CAP No. 774

Position: Lock

Height: 200cm

Weight: 115kg

Born: 26 February 1978, Wagga Wagga, NSW

Super 14 Team: Reds 1998-2005, Western Force 2006-

Representative Honours: Australian Under 19s 1996, Australian Under 21s 1997-1999, Australian Wallabies 2002-

Senior Tours: 2003 RWC (Aus), 2005 UK & France, 2006 UK, Ireland & Italy.

CAREER/DEBUT/CAPS/POINTS

Wallabies/2002 v France, Melbourne/60/25 (5t)
Super 14/1998 v Hurricanes, Wellington/95/35 (7t)

2005 TEST MINUTES: 985 2006 TEST MINUTES: 1040

YEAR/TEST CAREER/TESTS/POINTS

2002/Fr1, Fr2, NZ1, SA1, NZ2 [1t], SA2./6/5(1t)

2003/Ire, W, E, SA1 (rep), NZ1 (rep), SA2 (rep), NZ2 (rep), Arg*, R*, N*, Ire*, S*, NZ*, E*./14/0

2004/S1, S2, E1, PI, NZ1, SA1, NZ2, SA2/8/0

2005/Sam [2t], It, F, SA1, SA2, SA3 (rep), NZ1, SA4, NZ2, F2, E, Ir, W [1t]/13/15 (3t)

2006*/E1, E2, Ire, NZ1, SA1, NZ2, SA2, NZ3, SA3, W, It, Ire2, S/13/0

2007/W1 (1t), W2, SA1, NZ1, SA2, NZ2/6/5 (1t)

TOTALS 60 25 (5t)

* Played every minute of every Test in 2006

Total Against Nations:

Argentina 1 Test
England 6 Tests
France 4 Tests
Ireland 5 Tests
Italy 2 Tests
Namibia 1 Test
New Zealand 14 Tests (2 rep) (1 Try)
Pacific Islands 1 Test
Romania 1 Test
Samoa 1 Test (2 Tries)
Scotland 4 Tests
South Africa 15 Tests (3 rep)
Wales 5 Tests (2 Tries)

Playing Highlights:

1996-1997: Represented Australia at Under 19 and Under 21 level. He went on to represent the Australian Under 21s team for two more years, captaining the side in 1999.

1998-2001: Made his Super 12 debut with the Reds against the Hurricanes in 1998 playing alongside John Eales and earned a staggering 57 state caps, including 41 Super 12 matches before making his Test debut against France the following year.

2002: After another strong season with the Reds, Sharpe finally made his Test debut against France, starting at lock, and went on to be named the 2002 Rookie of the Year, as well as win the Australian Rugby Medal for Excellence as voted by his peers.

2003: Played in all 14 Tests, including the World Cup Final against England.

2004: Started in all eight of the winter Tests, Captaining the Wallabies for the first time against the All Blacks in Wellington, only to be rested from the Spring Tour to improve on his strength and conditioning.

2005: Was the only player to start in every Test match and captained the Wallabies for the second time against Samoa - A match he celebrated with two tries.

2006: Started all 13 Tests and played every minute at lock for the Wallabies and took his career Test match tally past 50. Captained the Western Force in its inaugural Super 14 season after eight years with the Reds.

2007: After a strong Super 14 campaign with the Force, he played six of the Wallabies seven winter Tests. Rested for the Test against Fiji in Perth, which broke a sequence of 28 consecutive Tests for the Wallabies since 2005.

[RuckNMaul]

good idea Burgs

lets all get onboard for this one

[slomo]

top idea!

[jargan83]

when do the festivities commence??

when do the festivities commence??

all hail sharpie!!!

[James]

Should we all shave our heads in appreciation?

[Thequeerone]

Should we all shave our heads in appreciation?

He was chatting with Russell Wolf on 720 ABC Perth again today about 5:30 and this point came up - he reckoned that when people look back at his hair do it won't date as much as the mullet from the eighties.

His countdown to RWC has started - flying out in 4 weeks - 2 weeks of training camp (Fly in Fly out - very like FR) - training starts tomorrow - mood in camp a bit sombre after the defeat - really really chuffed to have won the prize

[stejwill]

A star recruit to the team 2 years ago - no doubt about that.

[Happy]

He was chatting with Russell Wolf on 720 ABC Perth again today about 5:30 and this point came up - he reckoned that when people look back at his hair do it won't date as much as the mullet from the eighties.

His countdown to RWC has started - flying out in 4 weeks - 2 weeks of training camp (Fly in Fly out - very like FR) - training starts tomorrow - mood in camp a bit sombre after the defeat - really really chuffed to have won the prize

the wolfman is cool!!!

[Dramoth]

Go the big boy...

Well done Sharpie