Twenty Questions with Hugh 'Madness' McMeniman

Wallabies flanker Hugh McMeniman with his Man of the Match award against Canada in last year's Rugby World Cup

His favourite holiday destination is Stradbroke Island and in his spare time he loves getting on his motorbike or taking a swim at the beach.  A master in the kitchen with spaghetti, his fondest memory as a Rugby player is winning club Colts!  There is a lot more to learn about Hugh ‘Madness’ McMeniman.

McMeniman was born in Brisbane and first started his representative Rugby career when he was 18 representing Australian Schools out of Nudgee College in 2001, the same Brisbane School as Rocky Elsom.  He then went on to play for the Queensland Under 19s in 2002.  From 2003-2004 he undertook his Rugby education in the Reds College whilst representing Queensland on the field and in 2005 McMeniman made his Super 12 debut for the Reds against the Hurricanes in Brisbane. 

It didn’t always go so smoothly for the Wallabies lock/flanker. In 2006 he suffered a shoulder injury and ended up missing most of the 2006 Super 12 due to the resulting shoulder reconstruction. He earned the nickname ‘Madness’ by continuing to play on in the second row and the flank despite his shoulder injury.  Injuries have caused constant disruptions to his career.

Another shoulder injury ruled him out of the Super 14 in 2006, but he quickly returned to play in the Wallabies Spring Tour only to be stretchered off in the first eight minutes of his mid-week comeback match against  the Ospreys in Swansea with a neck injury. He played limited games in 2007 due to two knee injuries but he still won a place in the Wallabies Rugby World Cup squad playing in four of the five matches.  He was back for the 2008 Super 14 but was restricted to just two games, once more due to injury.  However displaying typical courage he put in strong performances for Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup, and regained his place in the Wallabies Test line up, gaining five more caps this year.

Nickname

Madness

Primary School/High School/Universities attended:

Warwick West

Scott

Nudgee College

First Rugby Team I played in:

Scott’s 13 A’s

My all time favourite Classic Wallaby:

Ben Tune

My most respected Rugby opponent:

All Blacks

My favourite non-Rugby sporting star:

Casey Stoner

My best rugby memory:

Winning club Colts          

My most embarrassing/worse Rugby moment:

Doing a "falcon" for Australian school boys

My favourite food or speciality I can cook in the kitchen is:

Spaghetti

Away from Rugby I enjoy doing:

Riding motorbikes and going to the beach.

The team mate I would least like to share a room with is:

Any snorer

Why?

My favourite holiday destination is:

Stradbroke Island or Kirra

My favourite book/music/music:

Q O T S A

If I wasn’t a Professional Rugby Player I would be:

Student

What being a Wallaby means to me:

High quality Rugby

Favourite Stadium to play in:

Ballymore

Best country toured:

Fiji

The thing I most can’t do without is:

Sleep