Trailblazing first indigenous Wallaby Lloyd McDermott dies
McDermott refused to tour SA because he did not want to be labelled an 'honorary white'
Sydney — Trailblazing Lloyd McDermott, the first indigenous man to play rugby for Australia and who later became the country’s first Aboriginal lawyer, has died aged 79, sparking tributes y to “an extraordinary man”. The son of a farm labourer, McDermott made his Wallabies debut as a winger in 1962 against the All Blacks in Brisbane and retained his place for the second Test in Sydney. But he then sensationally ended his association with the sport ahead of Australia’s 1963 tour to SA, famously declaring himself unavailable because he did not want to be labelled an “honorary white”. This was the only way he could compete against the all-white Springboks team under the country’s apartheid regime at the time. “The rugby community is deeply saddened by the news of Lloyd’s passing, however his impact on the sport will never be lost and his name will never fade. He was an extraordinary man,” said Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle. “Through his exploits on the field and in particular for ...
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