The Australian Rugby community is mourning the loss of Bob Outterside, who passed away last weekend, aged 90 years.
Outterside was a tough number eight who featured in two Tests for the Wallabies.
He quickly made his way through the ranks, making his NSW debut aged just 21 after he impressed for Randwick.
Outterside then won a spot on his first Wallaby tour to South Africa in 1953 and played in 12 matches without breaking through for his maiden Test as selectors opted for the settled combination of Mac Hughes, Brian Johnson and Keith Cross.
He looked set for a maiden Test after strong showings for South Harbour and Metropolitan against the Fijians in 1954 before a nasty ankle injury with three minutes remaining derailed his chances for another four years.
In 1958, Outterside was not selected to play the Maori or tour to New Zealand, however, found himself in the Australian Rugby Almanac selectors ‘Australian XV’ for that season.
He parlayed this form into a debut the following year, slotting in at number eight alongside John Thornett and Peter Fenwicke during a 17-6 loss to the British Lions at the Exhibition Ground.
Outterside played in the second Test, a 24-3 defeat at the SCG, which would end up being his final appearance in gold.
The back-rower retired at the end of the 1961 season, eventually became Club Coach for his beloved Randwick in 1970-76, and guided First Grade to 3 premierships along with a Club Championship in 1973.
Along with this, he was also a highly successful teacher and school administrator, rising to become principal at Sydney Boys High School as he earned an Order of Australia for service to education in 1990.
“It is often said that successful organisations stand on the shoulders of those that have gone before them and in Bob Outterside’s case they were very broad shoulders indeed,” Randwick DRUFC President John Tuxworth said in a statement.
“A former Wallaby, first grade coach and player, administrator, educator, mentor and Life Member, Bob was truly a gentleman and a scholar.
“He was a legendary figure in a legendary club”
Bob is survived by his son Cameron along with daughters Lisa and Robyn
