The Australian rugby community is mourning the loss of Wallaby #552, Bruce Brown, who passed away last week aged 81.
Bruce Brown was a rugged prop forward who graduated to international rugby at a time when Australian forward play was under intense scrutiny and there was considerable pressure on all players who filled a spot in the tight five.
Born and raised in Brisbane, Brown attended Brisbane Boys’ College and went on to play his club rugby for the University of Queensland, with whom he won five first grade premierships.
His first taste of representative football came in 1965 when he debuted for Queensland at just 20 years of age against Nadi. Brown served an extended apprenticeship at provincial level before he finally won a spot on his first Wallaby tour, to France and Canada in 1971. On that tour he played three uncapped matches behind the Test pairing of Roy Prosser and David Dunworth.
In 1972 Dunworth was forced to withdraw from the tour to New Zealand after he was advised to have surgery on an injured knee. Brown was called into the squad as his replacement and vied with Jake Howard for the loosehead spot alongside Prosser. Following a poor loss to West Coast-Buller, Brown was selected for the next two matches to earn a Test debut in Wellington. Unfortunately, the All Blacks were in complete control, they won more than 75% of possession, and that dominance was reflected on the scoreboard. As a result, Howard was promoted to the Saturday side for the next three weekends, but he fared no better in the second international nor against Waikato, so Brown was reinstated for the final Test of the series at Eden Park.
He later coached his beloved University, winning the 1979 Hospitals Cup with Wallaby great Mark Loane as captain.
Bruce Brown played two Tests for Australia in his one year of international rugby.
Brown is survived by wife Ethna, and sons Michael and Jonathan.
