Owen Finegan
Encyclopedia
Owen Finegan is an Australian international
rugby union
player who plays as a flanker
or lock. He is nicknamed "Melon" because of his large head.
He was a key performer for the ACT Brumbies from their inception in 1996, joining from Randwick Rugby Club
. Finegan played in 90 Super 12
matches for the Brumbies and was one of three remaining foundation players in the 2005 squad. He has helped them to two titles, including captaining them to their 2004 triumph, and scoring a Super 12 record 31 tries for a forward.
He made his international debut against Wales
in 1996 and went on to win 56 caps despite having ankle and knee reconstructions, plus operations on both shoulders. He was an integral part of the Wallabies’ success over following decade and was named in the Wallaby team of the first professional decade in 2005.
The undoubted highlight of Finegan's career came in 1999 when he scored an injury time try as Australia won the Rugby World Cup
.
Australia's player of the year in 2001, Finegan was controversially not picked by the Wallabies for the 2003 World Cup
on home soil.
In 2005 he signed with English club Newcastle Falcons
for two seasons, but was subsequently released after one year. Finegan played the 2006/7 season in Dublin with the Irish province Leinster
, where he was coached by his former Randwick boss and teammate, Michael Cheika.
Finegan signed for English Rugby Union team Leicester Tigers
on a short term 5 month contract as cover during the 2007 Rugby World Cup
. He featured in many pre-season games and started the first game of the season against Bristol Rugby
before picking up a groin injury which prevented him from making any more appearances.
In 2008 Finegan returned to the ACT Brumbies as Assistant Coach.
Finegan, at one time played for Waverley Rugby Club
.
Finegan is also an Ambassador for the White Ribbon Foundation, an organisation committed to the elimination of violence against women.
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who plays as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
or lock. He is nicknamed "Melon" because of his large head.
He was a key performer for the ACT Brumbies from their inception in 1996, joining from Randwick Rugby Club
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
. Finegan played in 90 Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
matches for the Brumbies and was one of three remaining foundation players in the 2005 squad. He has helped them to two titles, including captaining them to their 2004 triumph, and scoring a Super 12 record 31 tries for a forward.
He made his international debut against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in 1996 and went on to win 56 caps despite having ankle and knee reconstructions, plus operations on both shoulders. He was an integral part of the Wallabies’ success over following decade and was named in the Wallaby team of the first professional decade in 2005.
The undoubted highlight of Finegan's career came in 1999 when he scored an injury time try as Australia won the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
.
Australia's player of the year in 2001, Finegan was controversially not picked by the Wallabies for the 2003 World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
on home soil.
In 2005 he signed with English club Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
for two seasons, but was subsequently released after one year. Finegan played the 2006/7 season in Dublin with the Irish province Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
, where he was coached by his former Randwick boss and teammate, Michael Cheika.
Finegan signed for English Rugby Union team Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
on a short term 5 month contract as cover during the 2007 Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
. He featured in many pre-season games and started the first game of the season against Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
before picking up a groin injury which prevented him from making any more appearances.
In 2008 Finegan returned to the ACT Brumbies as Assistant Coach.
Finegan, at one time played for Waverley Rugby Club
Waverley Rugby Club
The Waverley Rugby Union Club is a team in the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union, the largest rugby union football competition in New South Wales.The club is based in Bondi in the eastern suburbs of Sydney....
.
Finegan is also an Ambassador for the White Ribbon Foundation, an organisation committed to the elimination of violence against women.