Aussie coach Dwyer at Wesley's rugby banquet

Richard Dwight

Banquet: Arriving in Sri Lanka to be present at Wesley's celebrative "Golden Jubilee Rugby Banquet", that takes place on the evening of Sunday, September 24, at the Trans Asia Hotel - will be the widely acknowledged, Bob Dwyer, the famed Australian rugby coach extraordinaire.

Dwyer, as the guest of honour, will make the keynote address at this historic occasion of Wesley's rugby and, what he has to say, would be most interesting, to be thought provoking not only to those of Wesley's rugby fraternity, but to others present as well.

His coaching the Wallabies, was well sustained spanning a period of ten years from 1982 accounting for 150 games and 74 test matches, inclusive of Australia's first World Cup victory in 1991.

Dwyer is spoken of as the longest serving and most successful coach in Australian rugby history that evoked comment from Stephen Jones chief rugby writer of the London Sunday Times, as "perhaps the finest coach the game has ever seen.

Apart from being a rugby coach he is also an accomplished electrical engineer, Company Director and businessman, whose approach to Management was featured in Marketing magazine in the following terms "He managed it not by bravado, charisma and hallow hype, but via a methodical management process that can be applied to managing a team".

Many of his pronouncements are frequently quoted by rugby commentators around the world and, one amongst them a gem is "Practice doesn't make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect".

Dwyer was awarded the centenary medal by the Australian Government in 2003 for his services to rugby union and an order of Australia the following year for his contribution to sport and the community, his winning strike rate with the Wallabies which was 70 per cent makes him the most successful coach in Australian rugby history.

His visit to Wesley College and the ruggerites in particular, will be a source of encouragement that will spur them on.