Colin Francis Forbes

Colin Forbes was a fiery and exceptionally speedy prop / lock forward who was once described as “one of the world’s best tight forwards”. His Wallaby captain, Nev Cottrell, assessed him as ”exceptionally tough”.

Born in Brisbane, Forbes was educated at St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace however while at that great rugby nursery, Forbes only played six matches and not one of those was in the 1st XV. While perhaps not obvious at school, Forbes’ talents were recognised by the Brothers’ club where he played First Grade while still in his teens. His first taste of representative rugby came in 1952 when selected to make his debut at tight head prop for Queensland against New South Wales.

Three solid interstate performances saw Forbes chosen for his first Wallaby tour, to New Zealand, where he played in three matches but neither of the Tests. The following year Queensland ran New South Wales close in their two matches and Forbes was one of just four Maroons selected for the Wallaby tour to South Africa. Australia was humbled 3-25 in the 1st Test and the selectors made five changes for Cape Town, two of which were in the forwards, and Forbes was called up to make his Test debut. In a memorable match, a Garth Jones try in the final minutes gave the Wallabies a deserved 18-14 victory and handed the Springboks their first defeat since 1938.

In 1955, Forbes married and withdrew from representative rugby however he was persuaded to return a year later to face the South Africa at home. His younger brother Len was also a Wallaby after he toured to New Zealand in 1958, although he did not play a Test.

Col Forbes played six Tests for Australia in a four-year international career.

Highlights

1953

Forbes won his first Test cap at prop alongside Jim Walsh and Nick Shehadie in the 2nd Test, 18-14 victory over South Africa at Cape Town. That front row trio was retained for the final two Tests of that series.

1954

Forbes withdrew from the opening Test against Fiji due to a gashed palm suffered in the Brisbane v. Fiji fixture but returned in combination with Paul Mooney and Shehadie for the 2nd Test, 16-18 loss at the S.C.G.

1956

Forbes, Jim Brown and Nick Shehadie formed the front row in the two home losses to South Africa.