David Brockhoff, Australian rugby union player and coach died he was , 83.

John David "Brock" Brockhoff was an Australian rugby union identity a state and national representative who played eight Tests as flanker between 1949 and 1953, later coaching the national team between 1974 and 1979 died he was , 83.. He maintained an active involvement in rugby union in Australia for his entire life.

(8 July 1928 – 17 June 2011)

Early life

Born at Rose Bay, Sydney Brockoff was educated at The Scots College and played in the College's in the first XV for his three senior years. He attended St. Andrew's College at the University of Sydney. His family were successful in the flour milling business in Sydney and he was very successful in the biscuit industry.

Playing career

He attended Sydney University, where gained blues in rugby union through four consecutive years from 1948 to 1951, playing 95 games for the Sydney Uni Football Club before he joined Eastern Suburbs in 1953. His career was played at flanker.
He played eight Tests for the Wallabies between 1949 and 1953, touring with the side in Britain and South Africa. In the 1949 tour to New Zealand he played in 10 of the 12 matches, including both Tests which were won by Australia. The latter tour was his last with the Wallabies and he did not feature in the test side on that tour. He made twenty-five total appearances for the Australian national side
After concluding his Test career, he continued to play for Eastern Suburbs until 1961.

Coaching career

He was appointed coach of Eastern Suburbs in 1963 and guided them to a premiership win in his first season as a coach. He later coached the New South Wales Waratahs in three stints 1970–71, 1973–74 and 1978.
His coaching philosophy was to get a fierce, dominant pack, make them brutal at the ruck and scrum, ensure they were intimate with something called the famous Vickers machine-gun tripod defence, and make certain the team had a kicking five-eighth.
He was coach of the national side from 1974–79, and is remembered from this period as the man who restored pride to the Wallaby jersey. His first major success came in 1974–75 when Australia defeated England in two fiery Tests, while the final match of his tenure came in memorable circumstances when Australia beat New Zealand 12–6 in a one-off Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground to regain the Bledisloe Cup. The vision of Brockhoff grabbing the Bledisloe Cup and running around the perimeter of the SCG is one of the lasting images in Australian rugby history. From this match onwards the Wallabies became much harder to beat than previously.
He sometimes had a testy relationship with other Australian rugby administrators due to his confrontational style and coaching his sides to be abrasive and aggressive but his success was undeniable.

Later life

After coaching Brockhoff continued to be active in New South Wales and Australian rugby, frequently attending training sessions for both teams and would often see teams off at the airport and welcome back sides to Sydney.
He died on 17 June 2011 at age 83 and was survived by his wife Claire, daughter Juliet and sons Peter and John.

 

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