Old Collegians Rugby Union Club
Allan Lloyd Kerr-Grant
Allan Lloyd Kerr-Grant (Ally) died suddenly on 19th September 2012 Aged 30 years.
Dearly loved son of Merryl and Hugh, much loved brother and brother in law of Gareth and Alexandra.
Ally Kerr-Grant Junior - A Rugby Eulogy
It's the game they play in heaven,
Though it sometimes looks like hell,
And everyone plays it for fun,
Although you'd never tell.
Oh there's nothing quite like rugby,
Or like a rugby man,
Six foot tall, built like a wall,
Just a gentleman.
I first met the rugby gentleman Ally Kerr-Grant Junior in 1987 when he was six, and playing with his brother in the OCs under 10s. The Junior section of the club was being invented. Although by far the smallest player in the side Ally was by no means the least skilled or lacking in courage.
I had played rugby with Ally's father Hugh, learning from him through my transition from slow loose forward to slower hooker, and admit that when I first saw Ally he somewhat resembled the cuddlier build of his father and if Ally had been playing with players his own age, may have slipped into the front row. Luckily for the club he was playing well below his age and he was placed out in the backs and asked to make tackles in the last line that everyone else had missed.
By 1988 Ally had won the best tackling trophy for the under 9s and more importantly from my point of view convinced me to coach juniors and from there introduced the game to my sons and addicted them to the game from soccer.
Ally was crucial to my early success at coaching as he was by the ripe age of 7 my most experienced player and his natural leadership talents were already on clear display. These skills were not the verbal ones but leadership by example a far more desirable option to a clever coach.
Ally was part of the backbone of our 1990 under 10 side that went through the season undefeated, playing a fine game at fullback reading the game and providing a safe custodial role for kicks and tackling. Ally's defensive skills again saw him awarded the tackling trophy.
Ally played for OCs throughout his rugby, playing U10sin '87, U9s in '88 & '89, U10s in '90 &'91,U12s in '92 & '93, U14s in '94 & '95, U16s in '96 & '97 and U18s in '98 & '99.
In the early days of OCs Juniors one of the activities under taken by the club was a sleepover at the club rooms, the fire was stoked, the spa bath filled, sleeping bags laid out, pizza ordered, VCRs set for Star Wars and Ghostbusters and not unsurprisingly very little sleep, followed by a Saturday morning game. My recollection was that Ally, as did all the others, loved this event maybe more than the football.
I stopped directly coaching Ally in 1992, as I had run out of things that I could teach him; the club song (the real one), the Grand final song, and sliding in the mud at Tregenza. However, I still managed to have some input in his rugby through State commitments and as Junior Coordinator/ Rugby Director for the Club from 1995 to 1999.
Ally's rugby continued to blossom, and he proved to be a great clubman as well as team player often backing up for higher age groups after his game had finished. In the days prior to 1995 the Junior club numbered about 30 players and backing UP was vital to the club and allowed Ally to test himself against bigger more skilled players.
Ally played well enough to be selected for South Australian Junior sides in the U14s in 1995, the U16s in 1997 and U18s in 1999 and represented South Australian Schools in 1998. This was fair reward for his skill and courage at club level and I was lucky again to help coach the U14s in 1995 on our very successful trip to Canberra which I know Ally enjoyed. The Rugby was hard but that was when Ally excelled. Richard Rehanna who coached the side did not believe in picking all the players from the 'star' club and always picked players like Ally who showed the ability to hold the line when the side was going backward.
If we measure by accolades then '96 to '99 were Ally's best with the U16 & U18 sides playing in the grand finals. 1996 saw Ally successful in the State 7s competition as well as winning the premiership in the 15-a-side game. Similarly in 1997 Ally again helped win the State 7's for the club, secured the Minor premiership in home and away fixtures and nailed the grand final 17 -3 against Brighton scoring a try to win the clubs third premiership in a row.
Ally was as I have already said a great clubman. It is, however, important to note that he supported rugby as a whole. He believed as I do that what is best for SA Rugby is also best for OC rugby. By 1997 the Junior club had grown from 30 registered players to 135 players and was very competitive in all age groups consistently making semi and grand finals.
OCs' juniors rise saw a decline at Burnside, previously Waratah rugby and OCs' former Junior route. Burnside had 6 to 7 players in the U16s, we had over 30 registered in that age group. We arranged to nominate players each week to play with Burnside and rotated every player to do so. Ally never had to be cajoled into this task, serving willingly and encouraging others to front-up.
During the second lot of school holidays, we were short of players and looked likely to forfeit against Onkas. We could not allocate to Burnside but had an idea that Onkas could not field a side either. Burnside was at home to Elizabeth and with 15 minutes to kick off we finally received a phone call from Onkas confirming the forfeit; players were packed in the cars, Burnside was called, we dashed over to Burnside with players running over the hill pulling off Maroon jerseys, and pulling on Double Blue ones with Ally in the lead.
The game was played, Burnside won, Onkas missed out on the semis.
Oddly Elizabeth were not to upset as they had come a long way to play and had got a game. Ally played and well, and while we do not like Burnside a lot, some of their six players went on to play first grade for Burnside so the game could have lost them and I'm sure Ally would agree that Rugby was the winner.
Ally's commitment to the game and to his team-mates and coaches saw some of them achieve levels at rugby they may not have otherwise reached. If a coach achieves State rep or our players play for their State or for Australia, while their own talent and commitment cannot be discounted, the team-mates who allowed them to play or to hone their skills cannot be forgotten. My sons have achieved a great deal at rugby as have I. I know that had it not been for the person that Ally was none of that would have happened.
Ally was a brave and talented player, a fiercely loyal team mate, a dedicated player to what I call the rugby ethos of play it hard, play it fair, do not be disappointed if you are beaten by a better side but simply reset your goals, and always respect your rivals.
His one failing was the severity with which he treated himself when he made errors or believed he had let his team mates down. While he may have believed this, from my viewpoint the errors were few and I never really saw him let his team or his mates down.
Ally did not play past the 1999 season due to a shoulder injury, the game was the poorer for that shoulder.
It's the game they play in heaven,
Though it sometimes looks like hell,
And everyone plays it for fun, (Ally always did)
Although you'd never tell.
Oh there's nothing quite like rugby,
Or like a rugby man,
Six foot tall, built like a wall, (Ally may have been short and cuddly at six when I met him, by sixteen he was at least six foot, lean and wirey)
Just a gentleman.
My sons lives are better for having met and known Ally, I know too that my life has also been enriched and is the poorer for Ally's passing. It is said that Jesus saves, he must have blown a hamstring Ally and they need you to cover at fullback, enjoy the game.
With Love,
Peter (Jesse) James,
Life Member, South Australian Junior Rugby Union
October 2012
