Rocky Elsom - Career

Career

Elsom has an international career spanning 75 matches along with 64 Super Rugby Caps and 21 caps for Dublin-based club Leinster. In his career Elsom has won NSW Waratah of the Year 2007, Herald Super 14 Player of the Year, Wallaby of the Year, Leinster Rugby Player of the Year, Magners League Player of the Year and European player of the Year. In 2010 Elsom was named at blindside flanker in a European dream team by the ERC to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the Heineken Cup, this came despite him only spending one season with Leinster such was his impact during the tournament that year. Elsom was also awarded the Waratah Medal for outstanding contribution to NSW Rugby in 2007. Elsom is one of only a handful of Australian players that have won a European Cup and is the only current top class test player to have been in the starting XV for every one of his 40 test caps. Elsom's career has not been without controversy with a couple of suspensions one of which was later overturned. Also a drawn-out feud with the ARU over the terms of his contract led to an unusual early release on 'compassionate grounds' to join Leinster in 2008. This resulted in Elsom being deemed 'unavailable' 2008 Wallaby Spring tour despite being named Wallaby of the Year 1 month earlier. 10 days after a 'Man of the Match' performance in Leinster's victory in the 2009 Heineken Cup Final against Leicester Tigers Elsom negotiated a return to Australia and the test arena agreeing to terms with the ARU and ACT Brumbies.