Owen Finegan - Melon Not a Lemon
- Author
- Katrina Oxenham
- Published
- Sun 19 Jul 2020
- Episode Link
- None
From player to coach, Owen Finegan, our guest this week, has lived and breathed rugby from an early age. In this episode, we chat about his career and get his opinions on Australian rugby today. We start by asking Owen about his significant work as the CEO for the Kids’ Cancer Project, which funds childhood cancer research and looks for better ways to treat our kids. We then dive into his career and how he went from working as an electrician to being a professional rugby player. Delving into his career highlights, including being a foundation Brumbies player, Owen talks about the magical experience of playing for the Wallabies in Ireland at the 1999 World Cup finals — an event in which 45 of his Irish cousins were in attendance. We explore his ties with Randwick Rugby, the club that he played for before joining the Brumbies and which he coached from 2017-2018. Owen highlights the importance of junior clubs in building a rugby community and how the Randwick junior program is supported by local businesses. After talking about his role at the Rugby Club Foundation, we ask Owen what he would do if he was in charge of Rugby Australia and about his tenure playing rugby in the UK. Throughout our conversation, Owen points to a need to support grassroots rugby and to focus on the local, tribal side of rugby. Near the end of the episode, Owen gives advice to aspiring players and leaves listeners with a key message; that he sees a passion for rugby everywhere that he looks. While the game is going through an uncertain time, it’s not going anywhere.
Key Points From This Episode:
- Owen’s role within the Kids’ Cancer Project and how they’ve recently raised funds.
- Owen talks about his rugby career and how he became a foundational Brumbies player.
- What it was like to be a Brumbies player at the time when Rod Mcqueen was the coach.
- The highlights of Owen’s rugby career; from electrician to team captain.
- The setbacks and medical problems that put Owen on the sideline.
- Traveling to Ireland and scoring a winning try at the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
- Owen’s early start at Randwick Rugby and his contribution to grassroots rugby.
- Why junior rugby programs are vital in fostering next-generation rugby.
- How Randwick has grown its women’s rugby program.
- How the Rugby Club Foundation has been developing New South Wales rugby.
- What Owen would do if he was in charge of Rugby Australia.
- The challenges facing Australian rugby, particularly at a grassroots level.
- Why, at its essence, rugby is a game about tribalism.
- Why Owen loves Michael Hooper; he wants to play for his country.
- Comparing the current uncertain rugby environment with Owen’s era.
- Owen’s experience playing northern hemisphere rugby in the UK.
- Why rugby might be thriving more in England than it is in Australia.
- Hear Owen’s advice for up and coming players; it takes sacrifices.
- How seeing such passion for rugby means that Owen doesn’t worry about the game’s future.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
