Mark Ella facts for kids

Mark Gordon Ella, born on 5 June 1959, is a famous Indigenous Australian former rugby union player. He played as a fly-half (also called five-eighth). Mark played 25 games for the Wallabies, which is Australia's national rugby team. He was also the captain of the Wallabies 10 times.

Mark Ella made his first tour with the Wallabies in 1979. He played his first official Test match for Australia in 1980. This was during the Bledisloe Cup series against the All Blacks (New Zealand's team). The Wallabies won this series, which was a big deal! It was Australia's first series win against New Zealand since 1949.

In 1982, Mark became the captain of the Australian team. He was the second Indigenous Australian to lead a national sports team. In 1984, Mark Ella became very famous for his amazing performances during a tour of Britain and Ireland. Australia achieved the "Grand Slam" by beating all four Home Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) in a row. Mark scored a try in every single one of those four Test matches!

Mark and his twin brother Glen, and their other brother Gary, all went to Matraville Sports High School. They all learned to play rugby there. Later, all three brothers played for the Australian national team. Mark also played for local teams like Randwick and New South Wales.

Playing Rugby: Mark Ella's Style

The Fly-Half's Role

Mark Ella played as a fly-half, which is a key position in rugby. The fly-half's main job is to guide the team's attack. They try to trick the opposing team's defenders to create space for their teammates to run into.

Mark Ella played the fly-half position in a very special way. He was different from other players of his time. He often stood very close to his scrum-half (the player who passes him the ball). This made defenders think they could easily tackle him.

Running and Passing Skills

Mark was known for running quite straight when he got the ball. This was a clever trick! It made defenders rush towards him. Then, at just the right moment, he would pass the ball to a teammate. This left the defenders out of position, creating gaps for his team to attack.

Because he stood so close and ran straight, Mark needed amazing ball-handling skills. He was very good at catching and passing the ball. One Scottish rugby writer even joked that his hands were "so sticky" that it was surprising when he dropped the ball!

Mark always wanted the ball passed to him very quickly from the scrum-half. He knew that every tiny bit of time was important. He would demand the ball "like a rocket" because the opposing players could be on him in less than two seconds!

Mark Ella was also great at starting attacks very quickly. He had excellent vision and could "read the game" well. This meant he knew where to pass the ball to create danger for the other team. He would often pass the ball instantly to his teammates, like David Campese, who were ready to run down the field. One newspaper called him "the detonator which explodes the brilliance of the Australian backs."

However, Mark didn't just pass the ball as fast as possible all the time. He controlled the timing and speed of his passes very carefully. He knew that sometimes a quick pass wasn't the best choice if he hadn't fully understood the play. He always wanted to keep control of the game.

Supporting Teammates

Mark Ella was also famous for always supporting his teammates. After he passed the ball, he didn't just stop. He kept running, trying to get into a good position to help the attack continue. This "off-the-ball running" showed how great he was.

His ability to "keep the ball alive" (meaning the ball stayed in play and the attack continued) led to many exciting tries. Spectators loved watching him play because his style was so entertaining.

Mark Ella's International Rugby Journey

Early Days and First Tour

Mark Ella first came close to playing for Australia in 1979. He played well for New South Wales against the touring Irish team. Even though he wasn't picked for the main Test matches that year, the Irish captain noticed how much trouble Mark caused them.

Later in 1979, Mark was chosen for the Wallabies' tour of Argentina. He made his debut for the Wallabies in a match against a local team, scoring a try in a big win. He almost played his first Test match on that tour, but another player recovered from an injury, so Mark had to wait.

In 1980, Mark was finally selected for Australia's Test team. This happened after the previous fly-half decided to play a different type of rugby.

Winning the Bledisloe Cup in 1980

In 1980, the Wallabies played a three-game series against the All Blacks for the Bledisloe Cup. Mark Ella played a big part in this series. In his first Test match, he scored points with a dropped goal. Australia won the first game 13-9.

Australia lost the second game, but in the third and deciding match, Mark Ella showed his magic. He made a famous "around-the-body-pass." He was surrounded by three All Black players, but he spun around and passed the ball behind his back to a teammate. This led to a try and was one of the most amazing plays seen in a Test match for a long time! Australia won that game 26-10, which was their biggest win against New Zealand at the time. This victory meant Australia won the Bledisloe Cup series, which was a huge achievement.

The Grand Slam of 1984

By 1984, Mark Ella was a key player for the Wallabies. Although he wasn't captain for this tour, he played a massive role. The Wallabies toured the UK and achieved something incredible: the "Grand Slam." This means they beat all four of the Home Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) in their Test matches.

Mark Ella was a superstar on this tour. He scored a try in every single one of those four Test matches, which is a very rare and impressive feat! He had also done this before on a tour with the Australian Schoolboys team in 1977-78.

After this amazing tour, at just 25 years old, Mark Ella surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from rugby. He turned down many offers to keep playing.

After Rugby

After retiring from playing rugby, Mark Ella has stayed involved in sports. He became a director at the Sports and Entertainment Group.

In 2005, he was one of the first five people to be honored and put into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997 and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 2007, he released his autobiography, a book about his own life, which he wrote with journalist Bret Harris.

Mark Ella has also worked for NITV, which is Australia's free TV station for Indigenous people. He became the Executive Producer and Head of NITV Sport, where he helps to show off the achievements of Indigenous athletes.

In 2021, Mark Ella donated his collection of five jerseys from the famous 1984 Grand Slam tour to the Australian Rugby Museum.

Recognition and Legacy

Many famous rugby players and experts believe Mark Ella is one of the greatest players ever.

David Campese, a legendary Australian winger who played with Mark, called him "the best rugby player I have ever known or seen." Other teammates like Michael Hawker and Simon Poidevin also said he was the most talented player they had ever seen.

Even players from other sports, like rugby league star Wally Lewis, said Mark Ella was the best player they had seen in either rugby code. Michael O'Connor, who played both rugby union and rugby league, also called Mark Ella a "genius" and the best player he ever played with. He said Mark could "sum up a situation instinctively" and always gave him the ball when he needed it.

In 2002, a former Welsh player named Eddie Butler ranked Mark Ella as the number one fly-half in rugby history. He called him his "all-time favourite player" and said Mark "stretched" the game of passing, supporting, and reading the play into new areas. In 2020, another former England fly-half, Stuart Barnes, ranked Mark Ella as the third greatest fly-half of all time.

Mark Ella has received many awards for his services to rugby. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1984. He was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1987. He received the Centenary Medal and an Australian Sports Medal in 2001.

In 2013, an Australian sports magazine named Mark Ella as one of the first four "Invincibles" of Australian rugby. This is a special title given to the very best players, similar to how some other sports honor their greatest legends.

See also

In Spanish: Mark Ella para niños