John Andrew Roe

A big, red-haired No.8 from the Wests club in Brisbane, John Roe was consistently overlooked for higher honours yet his perseverance and determination never wavered and in the end were ultimately rewarded. As a student Roe played fly-half for the Brisbane Boys’ College 1st XV. Under the guidance of future-Reds coach Phil Mooney he was moved into the pack and “went from strength to strength”. Fast in the loose, an excellent defender, and an outstanding lineout jumper, Roe finally cracked the Queensland side in 1999 but did not make his Super Rugby debut until 2001, against the Hurricanes. An injury to incumbent No.8 Toutai Kefu on the eve of the 2003 World Cup led to Roe earning a late call up to the Wallaby squad and he made his Test debut against Namibia in Adelaide. Roe went on to play 19 Tests for Australia during his three-year international career. In December 2006, after eight rugby-interrupted years studying a four-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery course Roe graduated from the University of Queensland. Roe will always be remembered as a wonderful servant of Queensland rugby and a consistent performer for the Wallabies.

Highlights

1999/2000
Represented Australia in the IRB Sevens World Series.

2003
Roe won his first Test cap off the bench when he replaced David Lyons at No.8 in the 142-0 defeat of Namibia in Adelaide. In that match Roe became the 81st Wallaby to score a try on debut.

2004
Roe picked up six Test caps and made his run-on XV debut in the 3rd Test, 31-14 victory over Scotland in Edinburgh.

2005
Roe played in 12 of the Wallabies’ 13 Tests and finished the season as the incumbent blindside flanker.