Jack Blomley

Jack Blomley was a highly gifted inside centre, polished by his time under the tutelage of Brother Henry at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill who perhaps failed to reach his true potential due to the pressure of his medical studies. Nonetheless he forged a dynamic partnership with the great Trevor Allan who later said, “I really loved to play next to Blomley. I considered him a magnificent centre. He made breaks galore and always gave me the ball at precisely the right moment for me to carry the move on.” From the 1st XV and Combined GPS teams of 1944, Blomley graduated to the University of Sydney where he studied Medicine.

He played his first representative rugby in 1947 for City and then the NSW 2nd XV before he won selection to debut for NSW against the touring All Blacks. Unfortunately he injured a knee, was ruled out of the match, and missed a golden opportunity to impress ahead of the Third Wallabies tour. The following season Australia did not play a home Test and as such Blomley was forced to wait until 1949 for a shot at national honours, which he duly won against the Maori in Sydney. He was then selected on the subsequent tour to New Zealand however it required a series of special representations made on his behalf to the University authorities in order for him to be granted the time away from his studies. Blomley won selection for both Tests against the British Lions in 1950 however his medical exams played havoc with his availability for the lead up to the international in Brisbane.

Early the following year Blomley announced his retirement from rugby in order to concentrate on his medical degree however he did return to the game two years later and earned a spot on the tour to South Africa. Any hope he had of forcing his way into the Test side vanished in the uncapped match against Griqualand-West, one in which Blomley was honoured with the captaincy, when he suffered a badly bruised ankle and was reduced to packing at number 8 in the second half scrums. He formally retired for good at the end of that tour and later, once qualified as a medical practitioner, set up a practice in Newcastle. In the mid-1960s Blomley joined the Citizen Military Forces and through the months of April to December 1967 spent time on the ground in Vietnam where he earned the moniker - Jack the Quack from Nui Dat. Jack Blomley played seven Tests for Australia in a three-year international career.

Highlights

 

1949

Blomley won his first Test cap at inside centre alongside Trevor Allan in the 1st Test 3-12 loss to the Maori at the S.C.G. They were then paired for the final two Tests of the Maori series and each of the away internationals in New Zealand.

1950

With Allan ruled out due to a thigh injury Blomley earned his final caps in combination with Alan Walker in the 0-2 home series loss to the British Lions.