Rugby Australia has congratulated the recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours for services to the sport of Rugby with three new Members of the Order of Australia and three Medal of the Order of Australia announced.
Wallabies legend Brendan Moon is amongst the Order of Australia recipients, considered one of the greatest ever Australian wingers.
Moon played 35 Tests for the Wallabies between 1978-86, forming a lethal partnership in a backline including Mark Ella, Michael Hawker and Michael O’Connor.
He also played 101 games for the Queensland Reds, and was a member of Brothers Rugby Club’s Team of the Century.
Moon is joined by Robert Fordham AM, who was an Executive Director of the Australian Rugby Union, and a senior referee for nearly 30 years until 1988, officiating at club, Test and Rugby World Cup levels.
Fordham played a key role in the Australian Rugby organising committee for Rugby World Cup 1991, serving as President and Life Member of the Sydney Rugby Referees Association and Bond Uni Rugby Club.
Fordham and Moon were both awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.
Chair of Rugby Australia’s National Technical Advisory Committee Geoffrey Stooke rounds out the Order of Australians.
Stooke has been a stalwart of Western Australian Rugby, representing the state from 1975-83 before becoming a director of WA Rugby in 1985, serving as Chair from 1998-2021 as well as Chairman of the Force from 2005-2011.
Wally Bell, Stanley Gyles and Maria Doogan are amongst those issued with a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Bell was the Chair and Director of Rugby SA from 2005 until 2014, inducted to the Rugby SA Hall of Fame in 2015.
He remains a life member of the Burnside Rugby Club, starting his playing career in 1971 as he moved into coaching in the 1980s. He also served as President of the club from 2014 until 2019.
Bell is joined by Gyles, who has been a specialist Rugby journalist spanning over 40 years for the likes of Herald Sun, Sunday Herald Sun, The Australian, ABC Radio, sports programs on Seven and Ten, as well as Rugby publications including Rugby Review and Rugby News.
Gyles has served the Victorian Rugby Union and Harlequin Rugby in numerous administrative roles, and is a Life Member of both organisations.
Doogan rounds out the list, having been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to the law and the judiciary.
The long-time Coroner, Magistrate and Special Magistrate of the ACT Magistrates Court served as a member of the Judicial Committee for the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union in 2000, acting as Deputy Chair between 2004-16.
“On behalf of everyone at Rugby Australia – and the broader Rugby community – I want to congratulate Bob Fordham, Brendan Moon, Geoff Stooke, Wally Bell, Stanley Gyles and Maria Doogan on their Order of Australia honours," RA CEO Andy Marinos said in a statement.
“Above all, we thank them for their momentous service to the sport that we all love – we greatly appreciate their contributions, and we are proud to see them represent Rugby in the Order of Australia.”
