Wallabies and Queensland rugby union legend John Eales has had a statue unveiled in his honour at Suncorp Stadium.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk helped unveil the statue with the former Australia and Queensland Reds captain.
John Eales won 86 caps for the Wallabies, including 55 as captain, winning the World Cup twice–once under his captaincy in 1999–and represented Queensland 112 times during his 11-year career.
The 300-kilogram three-metre-tall bronze statue, created by Gold Coast sculptor Liam Hardy, depicts Eales being lifted at a lineout, enabling fans to pose underneath with arms raised as though lifting him.
“The wonderful statue is a fitting tribute to a Queensland legend and is a celebration of everything John Eales brought to Queensland and Australia,” the Premier said.
“He is the personification of success – humility, pride and decency. He is admired by Wallabies supporters around Australia and rugby supporters around the world.
John Eales is modest about his achievements, but the design of the statue means he will always be looked up to and revered by everyone who sees it.”
The sculpture will become a fixture at Suncorp Stadium, the venue where Eales captained the first Wallabies team to play there in a 32-25 defeat of the New Zealand All Blacks in 1996.
It is at the opposite end of the stadium to the statues of the rugby league greats Wally Lewis, Artie Beetson, Darren Lockyer and Mal Meninga.
John Eales was the 2002 Queenslander of the Year, is a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the community and rugby and, such is his standing in the game, the Australian rugby union player of the year is awarded the John Eales Medal.
