Declan James Curran

Declan Curran was a barrel-chested, broad-shouldered prop with just the hint of a neck who enjoyed one of the great Wallaby debuts. The son of Frank Curran, who toured England alongside the famous Dave Brown and Wally Prigg with the 1933-34 rugby league Kangaroos, Declan attended St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill however he only made the 3rd XV in his final year. After graduation Curran spent two seasons at Eastern Suburbs in third and fourth grades, before he ventured to the University of Sydney. It was there, while he studied for a law degree, that Curran honed his scrummaging technique to representative standard. Curran made his First Grade debut in 1975, missed both the 1977 and 1978 seasons, but returned in 1979.

The following year his strong scrummaging performances caught the eye of the representative selectors and he soon made his debuts for both Sydney and New South Wales. In that Sydney debut Curran corner-stoned the scrum to a 13-13 draw with the touring All Blacks and in doing so pushed his name well into the frame for national selection. As a consequence Curran was picked for his international debut in the dramatic third Test in Sydney. Packing down with hooker Bill Ross (six Tests) and loosehead Tony D’Arcy (one Test), the rookie Wallaby front row held their own against the experienced Gary Knight, Hika Reid and John Ashworth.

Australia won 26-10 to record our first successful defence of the Bledisloe Cup and our first home series win over New Zealand since 1934. Curran’s final Test was against Argentina in 1983, when on the back of a very dominant Puma scrum, the visitors recorded a shock 18-3 victory at Ballymore. Declan Curran played five Tests for Australia in a four-year international career.

Highlights

1980

Curran won his first Test cap at tight head prop in combination with Bill Ross and Tony D'Arcy in the 3rd Test, 26-10 Bledisloe Cup series-winning victory at the S.C.G.

1981/82

Curran started at No.3 in each of the two home Tests against France. He was selected on the Seventh Wallabies tour to Britain where he picked up a single cap in the 13-18 loss to Wales in Cardiff.

1983

Curran earned his final cap in partnership with Ross and Stan Pilecki against the might of an Argentina scrum that was led by future Wallaby great Enrique Rodriguez.