Ryan Cross

A three-time Grand finalist in his NRL rugby league career, RYAN CROSS made his Test debut against France in the second game of 2008, and became such a key component for Australia that he wound up featuring in every other Test on the domestic schedule, and three of the five Spring Tour Tests. Selection for the Qantas Wallabies rewarded the 1996 and 1997 Australian Schoolboy rugby union representative’s decision to return to his former code, which he did by joining the Western Force in 2007. Cross figured in every match for the Force during his maiden Super 14. He then made Australia A, and was first brought into the Wallabies camp prior to the 2007 Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand at Melbourne.

Cross enjoyed nine seasons in rugby league at the Sydney Roosters, and signed off as the fifth highest try-scorer in the club’s history. He has brought that art into his Test rugby union career, collecting four tries, two of which came against the All Blacks. The superb start to his Test career as a Wallaby followed an impressive second season in the Investec Super 14, which he finished by being named as the Western Force Player of the Year.

1996-1997   Represented Australian Schools while attending Waverley College. Some of his teammates included current Wallabies George Smith and Phil Waugh.

1998   Switched to rugby league joining the Sydney Roosters, scoring two tries on debut against the Manly Sea Eagles.

2000   Played in the Sydney Roosters’ first NRL Grand Final appearance in 20 years. The Roosters lost to the Brisbane Broncos (who had future Wallaby Lote Tuqiri in their lineup).

2001-2002   Missed the majority of both NRL seasons with serious leg injuries.

2003-2004   Played in two more Grand Final defeats with the Roosters and in 2004 was selected to represent City Origin.

2006   Ended an intense period of speculation by signing with the Western Force for the 2007 season.

2007   Played every match in his debut season of Super 14 rugby, scoring three tries. Represented Australia A in all five Pacific Nations Cup matches, and was a squad member of the Wallabies for the Bledisloe Cup match in Melbourne, as well as a shadow squad member for Rugby World Cup.

2008   Named Western Force Player of the Year after a strong Investec Super 14 campaign. Wallaby selection followed, with a Test debut off the bench against France. Played in eight of the Wallabies’ nine domestic Tests and three of the five on the Spring Tour, finishing as the side’s equal top try-scorer with four.