STRONG BOND
RUGBY GREAT CHECKS ON YOUNG GUNS
THE most successful captain in the history of the Wallabies John Eales is not a bad mentor to have in your speed dial.
That’s the scenario for five Bond University students and recipients of the John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship, Angus Blyth, Lachlan Connors, Gavin Luka, Max Dowd and Dylan Riley.
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner was on the Bond campus at Robina yesterday to meet face-to-face with the students and get an update on their progress, both on and off the field.
“It is great to have the opportunity, where you have the boys that are really focused on education and sport,” said Eales, who played
86 Tests for the Wallabies from 1991–2001.
“It is a good chance to catch up with the boys over lunch and get to know them a bit better and see what challenges they are facing.
“I speak to them on the phone regularly, from the boys’ perspective I am always available to them to call anytime.
“If I don’t have the answers, chances are I’ll know somebody who does.
“They get to see what elite sport is all about, but they also get a quality education, which can’t be underestimated.
“The first graduates of the program Ben Hunt and PJ Van den Berg have come through and they are really outstanding young men both on and off the field.
“I think education gives you perspective, all the really successful people have proved to be lifelong learners and this is really the start of a more in-depth learning.”
Eales, 48, was impressed with the new facilities on campus at Bond including the multimillion-dollar Fabian Fay Clubhouse.
“The field and the set-up is fabulous, especially for a club to have that opportunity to use these facilities, it is great,” he said.