Charles Blunt
-2003
Charles Blunt was one of the three founders of the ASRU along with Jyka Travers and Merv Allen. Charles was President of the ARU in 1969 when he and the others organised the first ever Australian Schoolboys team to tour South Africa. That team played only regional teams and had a very successful tour.
He then assisted the formation of the Australian Schools Rugby Football Union, becoming its first Patron.
As President of the ARU in the 1970s he hosted the very controversial tour of Australia by the Springboks, who were detested because of apartheid, which the South African Rugby Union then supported. Protesters were at every match.
At their first game against a combined team of Western Australia in Perth.
Charles Blunt the President of Australian Rugby formally and graciously welcomed every Springbok with a handshake before the first match.
Chalres was a President of both the NSW Rugby Union (1968-1972) and the Australian Rugby Union (1969-1971), and was a Life Member of both Unions.
He learnt his rugby at The Kings School at Parramatta and was heavily involved in NSW Country Rugby Union before moving to Sydney where his support and contribution was enjoyed by the Gordon Rugby Club. He also served as a club referee for many years.
He represented the Australian Rugby Union at the historic meeting of the International Rugby Board in New Zealand in 1959. It was the first time the IRB had ever met outside the United Kingdom, and the first time “the Dominion Unions” (Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) were allowed equal representation with the Home Unions on the IRB, with two representatives each.
In the same year he was the Australian team manager for the two Tests against the British Isles. His time as President of the ARU coincided with a turbulent time for Australian Rugby, including the controversial Springbok tour of Australia in 1971.
ARU 2003 Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill paid tribute to Mr Blunt’s lifetime contribution to Rugby.
“Charles Blunt was an outstanding leader and Rugby administrator whose contribution to the game ranged from the grassroots level including schoolboy rugby, refereeing and club rugby, right up to overseeing the NSW and Australian Rugby Unions.
Charles was also a life member of NSW Suburban Rugby Union, where the Blunt Cup is named in his honour.
Charles was awarded the Order of the British Empire – Member (Civil) (Imperial) – MBE in 1971 ‘in recognition of service to sport’.