Len Perkins

In Len's own words, 20th August 2002:

" One day in July 1939 saw me as a 13 year old watching the annual sporting contests between Old Scholars from St. Peters and Prince Alfred. One such contest was Rugby and that was the first I'd watched. I was not impressed. Four years later while working at G.M. Holden I became friendly with the apprentice working on the adjacent machine and during the course of many subsequent conversations this young chap let it be known that he played rugby with the newly formed West Torrens club. Would I be interested in joining? No - not really. The friendly young chap's name was David Rogers and over the ensuing months into 1944 David gradually talked me into giving rugby a try.

The practice ground was in the West Parklands and the dressing shed was the fourth tree on the right. Despite this being my first acquaintance with the game this was apparently enough for me to be included in an exhibition match between West Torrens and another newly formed club of Port Adelaide. There was only one snag - the match was to be played on the Reynella oval and as it was still wartime the only way of getting there was by train from Adelaide station which took a fair amount of time each way. Suffice to say that both teams duly arrived and an inspection of the oval brought the sobering realisation that the ground had quite a decent slope down and away from each end of the central cricket pitch. Standing at either goal post only the top half of the other goal post was visible.

Now as this was my first match, I had no idea of the rules and the instructions were to grab the ball and run. I was an outside-centre. The opposing five-eighths, after about 10 minutes, kicked to his winger but instead of going behind the opposition it floated down beautifully about 15 yards in front of me and, with the hill's assistance, at the speed at which I reached the opposing fullback there was no contest.
My first try - maybe not such a bad game after all. And then, bless me if the opposite five-eight didn't repeat the kick with the same consequence - another try. So with two tries plus my name in as one of the best players of the day I quickly became a rugby afficionado."

... towards the end of the war and into 1945 there were various attempts to revitalise rugby in South Australia

" Now as a new old boy from my school and wanting to be doing good deeds, for some reason the Old Boys match that I had seen in 1939 came to mind. The question was could the club be started up again. With a few enquiries in the right direction I was introduced to Monty Bennett, a pre-war stalwart now minus a leg from the war, who gave me sufficient guidance and contacts to get the club going for the 1945 season.
First we had to get the players, so with my first recruit being Lloyd Jackman in tow we would walk the streets of Adelaide each Saturday morning looking for the faces of those with whom we had been at school and over a period we garnered the necessary recruits. Monty became the Chairman, I became the Secretary, John Heinemann the Treasurer and the Reverend N.S. "Jesse" James, a former Master at Saints, the 1st Coach.
P.A.O.C. was the only club that wasn't a district club."

From a pleasant few hours' talk with Len on 20th of August 2002:

In this first season they weren't successful, losing 63 to 0 against Uni and 60-odd to 0 to Torrens . Despite PAOC having Alan D. Harvey, a State player (wing), Torrens had two good RAAF players. PAOC came second or third from the bottom.

In 1946 the club was scratching for players and started to enlarge their source of players from old scholars to officers from the armed services and merchant navy. Colin Runge returned from the war in 1946. By the end of 1946 they were looking to change the name of the club to Old Collegians. In 1946 they started recruiting for a second grade team. In 1947 the club had a second side. Len felt that in 1946 they had the best team ever helped also by an influx of players from University. They were then still concentrating on recruiting from the Colleges and so there was no need to raise Junior teams. Colin Runge and Len used to later go around to the schools.

In 1950 Len went overseas and dropped out of the Club. By 1952, when Len returned, the Club was looking sad with players of Len's age dropping off to concentrate on their careers. Geoff Hone was the captain then, Geoff being Mick Hone's brother who went to school with Len.

In 1952/3 Howell Witt joined. On Saturdays they used to all frequent the Botanic pub - Howell Witt was then riding an ex-army BSA. Howell baptised Len & Kate's first (Kate?).

Len dropped out in 1954 to concentrate on his golf and on watching his children play their various games.

In 1966 Len and Ron Sweeting organised the 1966 dinner. In 1967 they both organised a "homecoming match" at the oval near the Capri Theatre which was then Southern Suburbs' home ground.

... Paul Horne, 21st August 2002

Obituary

Len Perkins, who rebuilt the Club after its recess during World War II, died suddenly at his home on Friday 28 March 2003. He was 77 years old.

Len was introduced to rugby by fellow life member David Rogers in 1944 when David played for West Torrens. At the end of his first season, Len set about rejuvenating the dormant Prince Alfred Old Collegians Rugby Club by rounding up former Australian Rules playing school friends.

Their standard was awful, but improved season by season as experienced players returned from the war. In 1948 Len captained a team which would have matched the standard of any premiership side since.

During his playing days Len was the first winner of the Rugby Union's Don Smith War Memorial Trophy in 1946, and went on to play for the state. Len had to leave South Australia in the 1950's for a lengthy training period at General Motors in Flint, Michigan, and later as a qualified engineer became the manager of vehicle assembly operations for South and Western Australia of General Motors Holden.

His two sons are well known to Old Collegians. Ben left the club to make his mark in Queensland's rugby community and is currently the kicking coach for the Wallabies. Jamie was a fast and determined winger who has given time as a club official. Len was a man of honour who set a high standard for the club.

He is survived by his wife Kathleen, his two sons and two daughters, to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences.

David Rogers April 2003

Len was made a life member of Old Collegians in 1979.

Len is Ben Perkins' father.