About Us

Named in honour of the master who reintroduced Rugby to Melbourne Grammar in 1957, the Colin Bell Club is a not-for-profit, incorporated Association which enables former rugby players and other members of the School community to maintain an interest in the welfare of the game.

To date the Club has not sought to field teams in the Victorian Rugby Union competition, but encourages school leavers to participate in the Rugby community, whether as players with civilian clubs or as coaches and administrators. It is particularly pleasing that a large number of the Club’s members are presently assisting as coaches of the School’s current Rugby teams.

The highlight of the Club’s social calendar is an Annual Dinner, usually held at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. The Dinner is held to coincide with the visit by the national team, the Wallabies, for their annual test match in Melbourne. Each year, with the support of the Australian Rugby Union, the dinner features a guest speaker/s from the playing or coaching staff of the Wallabies. We are also assisted greatly each year at the dinner by ABC senior sports journalists and commentators, Jim Maxwell and/or Roger Wills, who always ensure our guests are interviewed in an entertaining and professional manner.

The Colin Bell Cup, donated by the club and first presented in 2002, is awarded each year to the victorious team in the MGS vs Scotch First XV match.

OUR AIMS & PURPOSE

  1. To promote the playing of Rugby Union Football (“Rugby”) at Melbourne Grammar School (“the school”).
  2. To provide a vehicle for former players and supporters to maintain an interest and involvement in Rugby at the school.
  3. To assist the school community, as needed, with the following:

3.1. Activities designed to attract boys to play Rugby at the school.

3.2. Activities designed to improve the standard of playing Rugby at the school including but not limited to arranging for competition between school teams and interstate and overseas teams, and arranging for teams and individual players to attend coaching clinics whether conducted within Victoria or interstate.

 

YOU ASKED - WHY IS IT SO  ? 

Answer:

  • As a supporter of rugby in Victoria you will be aware of the extraordinarily competitive environment in which the game operates in this state and the pressures this creates for those who wish for the game to prosper
  • Those pressures have always impacted particularly at school and junior levels including at M.G.S.
  • Approximately 13 years ago a group of parents decided that if the game’s future at the school was to be assured, it would be wise to provide some impetus.
  • The product of their discussions with the school authorities was the Parents Support Group (PSG) which continues to promote rugby within the school community.
  • The Colin Bell Club, which was founded in 2000 after the instigators’ sons had left the school, and whose objectives are entirely compatible with those of the PSC, offers the school’s alumni the chance to maintain their interest in the welfare of rugby at M.G.S., and to continue to enjoy the society of the rugby fellowship.

YOU ASKED - WHY THE NAME  ? 

Answer:

  • Although it has emerged that M.G.S. played at least one game in 1932 (against Scotch College), there is no further definitive record of the school’s participation until 1957.

  • That year, Colin Bell joined the staff from Cranbrook, Sydney, and was instrumental in encouraging the school to offer rugby as one of its permanent winter sports.

  • As Master-in Charge of Rugby, he presided over a period of extraordinary growth, so that within five short years there were in excess of 100 boys playing rugby at M.G.S.

  • Colin maintained his enthusiasm and commitment until his retirement at the end of 1973.

YOU ASKED - WHAT’S WITH THE WHIMSICAL TIE & LOGO ? 

Answer:

  • Colin’s extraordinary curriculum vitae included the position of Head of the English Department.  Hence our logo and tie includes a quill.

  • Throughout his long career, Colin was to be found on the touchline, ensconced on a shooting-stick, his favourite hat atop a sparse thatch of hair, and smoking a pipe. Hence the pipe.
  • The other symbols on the logo and tie are traditional insignia of the game of rugby.