Australia’s greatest Indigenous rugby player will form half of the name of the new Ella-Mobbs Trophy, which will replace the Cook Cup for Test matches against England.
Ella, the Wallabies five-eighth from 1980 to 1984, created scintillating backline combinations and memorable moments with brothers Glen and Gary playing for their country, NSW and Randwick.
“When they said Ella-Mobbs (Trophy) I kind of took it for granted that it was obviously me and my brothers, not realizing that former England player Mr Mobbs was also part of the trophy. “, Ella told NITV. .
The surname of highly decorated Englishman Edgar Mobbs, who played seven Tests more than a century ago before being killed in World War I, will be engraved on the other half of the silverware.
Ella, who in 1982 was the second Aboriginal Australian to captain a national sports team, stunned world rugby when he walked away from the game aged just 25.
The Bidjigal-Yuin man has been inducted into the Australian and International Rugby Hall of Fame, but the trophy will pay greater tribute to his mighty legacy of 38 years since he last picked up a ball.
“It’s a great honor,” Ella said.
“I thought I retired from rugby many, many years ago, but I still seem to be lingering a bit at the moment.”
England’s Rugby Football Union had accepted a request from Rugby Australia ahead of this year’s England tour of Australia to rename the Cook Cup.
Rugby Australia believe the new award better represents the two nations’ rivalry.
The trophy was first named for Captain James Cook in 1997 because of his connection to both countries after sailing the Australian coast in 1770 for Britain.
But Ella’s twin brother, Glen, said for many Indigenous communities, Cook symbolized displacement.
“The majority of Indigenous people wouldn’t want (Cook’s name) on the Cup,” Glen told Nine media.
“I don’t have a problem, personally – I don’t really worry about it – but for the Aboriginal people to do the right thing, yes, I understand why they made this call.
“There’s still a lot of angst about it among the alumni, so they’re doing the right thing and making an effort to change the name to something more rugby-related, and to not carry those connotations.”
The Ella-Mobbs Trophy is set to be launched in Perth before the first test on July 4, in time for NAIDOC week.
- Story of Andrew Mathieson
