Western Sydney Two Blues

Western Sydney Two Blues

Full name	Western Sydney "Two Blues" Rugby
Nickname(s)	Two Blues
Founded	1879
Location	Parramatta, Sydney, Australia
Ground(s)	Eric Tweedale Stadium (Capacity: 5,000 (750 seats))
Coach(es)	Paul Hardwick, Greg Michell
Captain(s)	Adrian Musico
League(s)	Shute Shield
General Manager	Craig Morgan
Team kit
Official website
www.twobluesrugby.com.au

Western Sydney Two Blues Rugby, formerly Parramatta Two Blues Rugby, is a rugby union club based in Parramatta, the second CBD of Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1879 and competes in the Shute Shield run by the New South Wales Rugby Union. One of the oldest clubs in the Sydney Premier Rugby competition the club has produced nineteen Wallabies over the years, starting with the great Bill Cerutti in 1936 through to the club's current, Tatafu Polota-Nau. To date Parramatta has played in eight First grade grand finals.

History

Western Sydney Two Blues Rugby Club has enjoyed 130 years of top-grade rugby in Sydney's premier competition and is one of only five clubs (Manly, Randwick, Parramatta, Gordon and Warringah) to have never been relegated from the Top Grade.

Founded in 1879 as Cumberland, the club played in a senior Competition with University, Wallaroos, Waratah, Redfern and Pirates until 1899 when the existing system was disbanded.

The Club changed its name to Parramatta and was admitted to the Sydney First Grade competition in 1934 contesting its first Grand Final in 1945, a 9-3 defeat to Sydney University. The 1950s and 1960s were lean years but the development of a strong junior competition assured a sharp improvement in standards.

Former Wallaby Rod Phelps took over as captain-coach in 1971 and for three years he improved Parramatta‘s standing in the rugby fraternity. Grand Final appearances in 1974 and 1975 showed that the club was well on its way to becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Finally with the influx of young players in this period Parramatta won its initial First Grade premiership in 1977, a 17–9 victory against Randwick under coach Peter Fenton. The Two Blues had waited 44 years to sample the sweet taste of victory, but the wait was worthwhile.

The Club then played in the 1979 and 1984 grand finals going down to Randwick on both occasions, but revenge would be sweet in 1985 and 1986 when the underdogs from Sydney’s west succeeded in beating the Galloping Greens to win consecutive premierships under coach Paul Dalton.

In 2018 the club identified the need to evolve and deliver greater opportunity for the game of rugby in Greater Western Sydney. The clubs' members originate from all across the West with the club making the strategic decision to re-brand from Parramatta Rugby Club to the Western Sydney Two Blues to better reflect our presence in the competition, our members and playing group and to take lead for the game of rugby in Western Sydney.^[1]

Four of Parramatta’s favourite sons switched to League with success. Ken Kearney (a Wallaby in 1947 and 1948), Ray Price (a Wallaby between 1974 and 1976), Tony Melrose who played for the Wallabies in 1978 and 1979, and Andrew Leeds who played for his country between 1986 and 1988 all wore the Two Blues with pride and then switched to the Parramatta Eels. Leeds and Peter Kay, capped against England in 1988, were the club’s most recent Wallabies until Tatafu Polota-Nau played two Tests on the Wallabies 2005 Tour against England and Ireland.

Club information

Club Name: Western Sydney Two Blues

Nickname: Two Blues

Founded: 1879

Home-stadium: Merrylands RSL Club Rugby Park (Formerly Granville Park)

Uniform colours: Navy-Blue and Sky-Blue

Premiership Titles: 3 titles: 1977, 1985, 1986

Office holders

As of 2021:^{[needs update]}

President: Scott Rogan

General Manager: Christian Burden

Director of Coaching: Sailosi Tagicakibau

Club Captain: TBA

1st Grade Captain: Aleks Dabek

Current squad

Records

Honours

Grand Finalists and Premiers^{[citation needed]}

1984   1st Grade Colts Premiers Def Sydney Uni 

Representative players

International men's teams 15-a-side players:

Australia	Bob Brown	Debut: 1975-05-24 vs. England in Sydney Aus / fullback / (Wallaby 575)
Australia	Bill Cerutti	Australian Rep in 17 Tests & made famous the number 13 Jersey in the 1920s-30s.
Australia	Phil Clements	Debut: 1982-09-11 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Lock / (Wallaby 631)
Australia	Adam Coleman	Debut: 2016
Australia	Patrick Cooper	Played for Wallabies is 1965
Australia	Peter Kay	Debut: 1988-06-12 vs. England in Sydney, Aus / Prop / (Wallaby 669)
Australia	Ken Kearney	Debut: 1947-06-14 vs. New Zealand in Brisbane, Aus / Hooker / (Wallaby 346)
Australia	Martin Knight	Debut: 1978-06-11 vs. Wales in Brisbane, NZ / centre / (Wallaby 593)
Australia	Andrew Leeds	Debut: 1986-09-06 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / fullback / (Wallaby 658)
Australia	Mick Martin	Debut: 1980-05-24 vs. Fiji in Suva, Fiji / wing / (Wallaby 612)
Australia	Adrian McDonald	Played for Wallabies in 1983
Australia	Tony Melrose	Debut: 1978-09-09 vs. New Zealand in Auckland, NZ / Flyhalf / (Wallaby 601)
Australia	Taqele Naiyaravoro	Debut: 2015
Australia	Rod Phelps	Debut: 1955-09-03 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / fullback / (Wallaby 412)
Australia	Tatafu Polota-Nau	Debut: 2005-11-12 vs England in Twickenham, England / Hooker / (Wallaby 806)
Australia	Don Price	Forward Toured Fiji with the Australian Rugby Union Team in 1980
Australia	Ray Price	Debut: 1974-05-25 vs. New Zealand in Sydney, Aus / Flanker / (Wallaby 573)
Australia	Reg Sutton	1960s?
Australia	Eric Tweedale	Debut: 1946-09-14 vs. New Zealand in Dunedin, NZ / Prop / (Wallaby 336)
Australia	Malcolm Van Gelder	1960s?
Australia	Lance Walker	Debut: 1982-08-28 vs. New Zealant in Wellington, NZ / Hooker / (Wallaby 629)
Australia	Stan Wickham	Played for Wallabies in 1901 to 1906
Tonga	Damien Fakafanua	Centre/wing for Tonga in 2012 Pacific Nations Cup
Tonga	John Fonua	Debut: 2002-06-15 vs. Samoa at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / wing / (Tonga Player 472)
Tonga	Sitiveni Mafi	Lock, Flanker for Tonga Debut in the 2010 Pacific nations Cup
Tonga	Sateki Tuipulotu	Debut:1994-07-17 vs. Fiji at Nuku A'lofa, Tonga / fullback / (Tonga Player 368)
Fiji	Taniela Rawaqa	Fullback/Flyhalf for Fiji. The Second Highest point scorer in Pacific Nations Cup at 103 Points
Samoa	Fa'avaivai Tanoa'i	Debut: 1996-07-13 Vs. Tonga at Apia, Samoa / Flyhalf
Samoa	Lua Vailoaloa	Halfback for the Manu Samoa in 2011 Pacific Nations Cup and non travelling reserve in 2011 Rugby World Cup
New Zealand	Sosene Anesi	Debut: 2005 vs. Fiji in Albany / fullback,Wing / (All-Black 1054)
Canada	Evan Olmstead	Debut: 2011 Canada U20 Vs. Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia / 2nd Row/Flanker/No.8
Philippines	Oliver Saunders	Current Philippines Rugby player and Top point scorer (Flyhalf)
Philippines	Kenneth Stern	Current Philippines Rugby Player (Winger)

Other players signed to professional clubs:

Australia	Daniel Yakapo	Rugby Viadana
Italy	Steven Bortolussi	Petrarca Padova Rugby
Samoa	Iese Leota	Stade Montois
Samoa	Chris Seuteni	CA Brive
Tonga	Sitiveni Mafi	Western Force

International women's teams players:

Australia	Alex Sulusi	Australian women's national rugby union team
Australia	Chloe Butler	Australian women's national rugby union team
Australia	Nita Maynard	Australian women's national rugby union team
Australia	Hanna Sio	Australian women's national rugby union team (sevens)

Other Australian team representatives:

Australia	Daniel Yakapo	Australian national rugby union team (sevens)
Australia	Andrew Vatuvei	Australian Schoolboys Rugby Union
Australia	Andrew Cox	Australian Barbarians Rugby Team
Australia	Josh Kaifa	Australian Barbarians Rugby Team
Australia	Mika Polota Nau	Australian Barbarians Rugby Team
Australia	Rodney Ma'a	Australian Barbarians Rugby Team

Life members

200 club

The following players have played over 200 Grade games for Parramatta Two Blues

Juniors

Parramatta junior clubs

• Blacktown JRUFC
• Dundas Valley JRUFC
• Hills JRUFC
• Merrylands JRUFC
• Norwest JRUFC
• Liverpool JRUFC

Notable junior players

• Jeremy Su'a - Canterbury Crusaders
• Sam Wykes - Western Force
• Jamal Idris - Gold Coast Titans
• Sisa Waqa - Melbourne Storm
• Jorge Taufua - Manly Sea Eagles
• Leon Bott - Retired
• Tatafu Polota Nau - ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Western Force, Leicester Tigers
• Sitiveni 'Steve' Mafi - NSW Waratahs, Leicester, Western Force, Castres, London Irish

References

External links

• http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/former-all-black-soseni-anesi-joins-parramattas-two-blues/story-fndpt9s1-1226427514708
• http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/the-parramatta-two-blues-progress-to-shute-shield-finals/story-fn8ouzvd-1226454443914
• http://parramatta-advertiser.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/two-blues-future-looks-bright/
• http://parramatta-advertiser.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/farewell-parramatta-two-blues-go-with-our-blessing/
• http://parramatta-advertiser.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/hooker-revs-up-rookies/
• http://www.nswrugby.com.au/NSWRugby/News/NewsArticle/tabid/374/ArticleID/7371/Default.aspx
• http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/former-all-black-soseni-anesi-joins-parramattas-two-blues/story-fn8ti7yn-1226427514708
• http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/hookers-humility-keeps-him-in-touch-with-roots-20120706-21mdx.html