We are sad to inform the SUFC community that former Uni and Wallaby winger, John Taylor died peacefully at home early on Saturday 16th November after a 6 month battle with cancer.
John played for SUFC between 1971-73 playing 77 Club games of which 63 were in 1st Grade while he studied Vet Science at Sydney University. In his first year with the Club, John scored a record 7 tries in a game vs Parramatta and was Top Try scorer in 1st Grade (12) in 1971 and then again in 1972 (17 tries). He went on to be part of the 1972 1st Grade Premiership team that defeated Gordon 10-6 in the final and denied them the Grand Slam of premierships.
John made his international debut against South Africa on 17 July 1971 at the Sydney Cricket Ground scoring a double and becoming the Club’s 67th Wallaby. In recognition of this John was awarded a Sydney University Blue. John went on to play a further 3 times for his country between 1971-72, the following year John graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Veterinary Science. From here he followed in the footsteps of his father Robert, a pioneer of veterinary practice in country New South Wales.
John’s son Jacob is also a former SUFC player and the Club’s most recent Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University where he captained the Dark Blues to varsity victory in 2014.
There will be a private cremation taking place this week and a gathering of family and close friends on Saturday 23rd November. All at SUFC send our love and condelences to the Taylor family at this sad time.