Anthony Gerard Herbert

Anthony Herbert was a talented and dependable centre however such was his versatility that he once earned a Test cap at blindside flanker. He was the ultimate team man and a valuable part of the social fabric of the side when off the field. Herbert was also yet another centre of the late 1980s, early 1990s who was unlucky to have his rugby prime clash with that of Tim Horan and Jason Little. Herbert attended the Marist Brothers College at Ashgrove where he played in two GPS premiership winning 1st XVs (1982-83). Australian schools and aged representation followed in due course as did a 1986 debut for Queensland, against Middlesex in Sudbury.

In 1987 Herbert delivered two powerful performances for the Reds, against Canterbury and then New South Wales, to be a surprise selection in the Australian squad for the Rugby World Cup. When captain Andrew Slack left the field with an ankle injury in the pre-tournament warm-up against South Korea at Ballymore, Herbert came on to make his Test debut. In 1992 Herbert became a near-permanent squad member / reserve for both the Reds and Australia. During the third Test against New Zealand in Sydney Sam Scott-Young was forced from the field due to injury.

Given Garrick Morgan had earlier replaced John Eales the Wallabies gave Herbert the responsibility to fill Scott-Young’s shoes. Troy Coker then moved to number eight and Herbert sidled up to the side of the scrum. As always he left nothing on the field and was duly rewarded with a first Test try for his efforts. Herbert’s obvious versatility virtually assured him of a spot in any touring squad however Test caps proved more difficult to attain. Nonetheless he was selected to two Rugby World Cups and returned home in 1991 as a World Champion. Anthony Herbert played 10 Tests for Australia in a seven-year international career.

Highlights

1982

Selected on the Australian Schools tour to New Zealand.

1983

Represented Australian Schools against New Zealand Schools.

1985

Represented Australian U21s against New Zealand Colts, Western Samoa U21, Tonga U21 & Fiji U21.

1987

Herbert won his first Test cap off the bench when he replaced Andrew Slack at outside centre in the 65-18 defeat of South Korea in Brisbane. He was selected to a first Rugby World Cup and picked up a second cap, again as a replacement, for Brett Papworth at inside centre in the semi-final loss to France in Sydney.

1990

Herbert earned four caps in 1990. The first off the bench in the 1st Test, 21-9 victory over France in Sydney, the second, his first starting cap at No.12, against the U.S.A. and the final two at outside centre in the 2nd and 3rd Tests against New Zealand.

1991

Herbert was selected to a second Rugby World Cup where he started at No.13 in the 9-3 pool game win over Western Samoa at Pontypool.

1992

He picked up a single cap at blindside flanker and scored his first Test try when he replaced Sam Scott-Young at No.8 before a switch with Troy Coker to the side of the scrum in the 3rd Test, 23-26 loss to New Zealand in Sydney.

1993

In his final season of international rugby Herbert was capped twice, both times off the bench, against New Zealand in Dunedin and in the 2nd Test 28-20 victory over South Africa in Brisbane.