mens
super-rugby-pacific
1991 Rugby World Cup winning Wallaby Michael Lynagh will be honored with a new trophy to be contested by Queensland Red and Benetton Rugby, with partner clubs playing each other on November 27 at Stadio Monigo.
Lynagh helped Benetton of Treviso win the Championship during the 1991/92 season, before doing the same with the Reds a few years later. But Lynagh’s connection to Queensland and Benetton remains strong today.
Tom Lynagh, who started all three Wallabies Tests at fly-half against the British and Irish Lions last year he was a member of Queensland Super Rugby Pacific and the Super Rugby AUS team. Younger brother Nic is also in Brisbane, having trained with the Reds Academy this season.
Louis Lynagh has become a Test regular for the Azzurri, after impressive performances for the Italian club in the United Rugby Championship. To recognize Michael’s efforts for both sides, and the partnership between the clubs, the Lynagh Cup will be next month.
“These are two important organizations in my life coming together in a wonderful union,” said Michael Lynagh.
“Having a game and a trophy in November is a great opportunity for the clubs. It will be interesting to see how it works out for a few of the Lynagh boys, who are now at each club.”
“After the 1991 Rugby World Cup I took six months off work and went to play for Benetton. It certainly changed the direction of my life in a big way because I ended up marrying a girl (Isabella) from Treviso,” said Lynagh.
“In this professional age of the game, go home, train, train, go to the next game, it’s great that Sam Cordingley and Antonio Pavanello saw an opportunity to give the players something more that a lot of other clubs don’t.
“From a rugby point of view, players from both sides will learn different ways of playing the game. The Reds will experience a new culture and it will open their eyes a lot for personal development.”
Sam Cordingley, the Queensland Reds Managing Director, High Performance, added: “It’s great to be able to announce that the game in Travis will be played for the Lynagh Cup,” said Cordingley.
“It will be a nod to ‘Noddy’ and his time as an important part of the history of both clubs. It will be passed on to the next generation.
“Rugby’s strength is its international flavor and we really try to build on that as Queensland Rugby Union.
“The strength of the partnership is that it gives the players and staff the opportunity to experience something different, where they will learn, not just in rugby, but in a general life perspective.”
The Reds begin their end-of-year tour against the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights over two weekends in November, before embarking on the long trip to Italy. Queensland will face Italy XV (November 20) and Benetton on November 27.
