John Hipwell

John Noel Brian Hipwell (24 January 1948 – 23 September 2013) was an Australian national representative rugby union player who played and captained the Wallabies. He played the majority of his career at scrum half and his representative career spanned 14 seasons from 1968 to 1981.

Rugby career Hipwell was a junior and then senior player for the Waratahs Rugby Club in Newcastle NSW where he received tutelage from past Wallaby Cyril Burke. Hipwell's first international game was for NSW Country against the touring British Lions in 1966. He was then selected for the 1966–67 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France although he made no test appearances on that tour. His first Test cap came in 1968 against New Zealand, when he replaced Ken Catchpole who suffered a career-ending injury. In 2006 he was honoured in the second set of inductees into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame.

International career International Debut: Saturday, 15 June 1968 v New Zealand (Sydney) lost 27–11 – (Aged: 20) Final Appearance: 02/01/1982 v England (Twickenham) lost 15–11 (Aged: 33) Wallaby Number: 519 36 Australian Caps: 1968–82 Played: 36, Won: 11, Drew: 2, Lost: 23. Test Points: 14. Tries: 4

Later life Hipwell taught at The Armidale School in the 1970s and 1980s and later taught at the Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane since 1990. He also coached junior-grade rugby. He died on 23 September 2013.