The word gentleman is not often used in the same sentence as Rugby League Test forward. But in Norm Provan’s case it has to be. The great St.George man is an icon of our game and is a highly regarded person in the Australian community. Named in the Team of the Century as a second rower, Norm played 19 Tests and World Cup matches, scoring nine tries, as well as 20 games for NSW from 1954 to 1961. He also played in 11 first grade Grand Finals with St.George, being on the losing side (31-12 to Souths in 1953) in his first, but running off a winner in the other 10, from 1956 to 1965. He was captain/coach of the last four, from 1962 to 1965. Norm has been officially recognised by the NRL as Man of the Match in three of his Grand Finals,1957, 1958 and 1963.
Born in Urana, near Wagga in December 1931, Norm played junior football with Sutherland and then nearby Woronora after the family moved to Sydney. He joined St. George in 1950, playing third and reserve grades in that first year. He won first grade selection in 1951, playing 20 top grade games and scoring five tries. When he played his final game for the club in the 1965 Grand Final win, 12-8 over South Sydney, Norm had set a still standing club record of 256 first grade games in which he scored 191 points from 63 tries and a goal. After retiring, Norm coached the Dragons to third place in 1968, followed by Parramatta in 1975 (won the pre-season competition and made the semi finals) and Cronulla in 1978 and 1979. The Sharks reached the Grand Final in 1978 drawing 11-all with Manly and then losing the Grand Final Replay 16-0 after two of their star test forwards, Greg Pierce and Dane Sorensen missed both games from suspension. In 1979 he coached the Sharks to their first ever first grade trophy when they won e midweek Amco Cup competition, beating a Combined Brisbane team 22-5 in the Final. Cronulla also reached the semi finals that season.
Norm’s coaching record is excellent, with a winning percentage of around 69 percent, with well over 100 victories. But he didn’t see coaching as a permanent career move and was more concerned about his business future. A 1956/57 Kangaroo, Norm turned down probable selection on the 1959/60 tour, as he was busy setting up a retail business in Rockdale. This venture later became a successful chain of retail stores, known as “Norm Provan’s Discounts.” Nowadays he and his wife Lindy, enjoy the good life on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast at Caloundra, where he is Managing Director of Rydges Oasis Resort. The couple have four children (a daughter and three sons), six grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Along with Queenslanders Kel O’Shea (Ayr Colts) and Alex Watson (Brisbane Wests), Norm made his test debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 12 June, 1954 against Great Britain. Australia won this test 37-12 with O’Shea and Norm, scoring the first two tries, which gave the home team a 10-5 halftime lead. After this resounding defeat, the Poms were written off for the Ashes, but they roared back to take the second test in Brisbane, 38-21. This set the scene for a great series decider and the 67,577 crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground were not disappointed. The teams were locked together 8-all, at halftime, but blockbusting centre Harry Wells scored a try and set up another in the second half to pave the way for a 20-16 victory. Norm played in all three Tests and his strong forward play was one of the reasons that the Aussies regained the Ashes.The British team contained such great players as Billy Boston, Gerry Helme, Lewis Jones, Ernest Ashcroft, Phil Jackson, Dave Valentine, Alan Prescott and Nat Silcock, so i was no mean feat to defeat them. A total of around 180,000 watched the three tests and paid nearly50,000 pounds to do so.
The first Test of this series was the first time that Norm had O’Shea as his second row partner. This combination is regarded by many as Australia’s best ever second row pairing.
They played Test or World Cup football in the second row together nine times, with Norm’s other partners being Rex Mossop (three), Jim Paterson (three), Brian Hambly (two), plus Brian Davies and Tom Tyquin once each.
“I was proud to play with all of these men,” Norm said, “as I was with all of my teammates.”
A tight 7-5 loss to France at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 16 July, 1960 was Norm’s farewell game on the international arena. In that era, France had a strong record. They won the series on their 1951 and 1955 tours to Australia and in 1960 drew the series one test all, after the first test was an 8-all draw. Five eighth Antoine Jiminez from Villeneuve captained the 1960 team and former French rugby union test fullback,Pierre Lacaze from Toulouse was a prominent team member.
Norm played test matches against other French stars such as centres Jacques Merquey and Claude Mantoulan, plus five eighth Gilbert Benausse and half Jean Dop.The breakdown of Norm’s international career is 8 matches against Great Britain (4 wins, 4 losses), 6 matches against France (5 wins, 1 loss), 4 matches against New Zealand (3 wins, 1 loss) and one match against the Rest of the World (won 20-11 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 29 June, 1957). This 1957 Australian team won the World Cup and Norm played in all four of the winning matches. He also played in the 1954 World Cup in France.
Touring with the 1956 Kangaroos, he played three Tests against France after missing the three Tests with England because of injury, plus 12 minor games.
He played in the infamous game at Avignon on 6 January 1957 when the local winger Andre Savonne was pushed well over the touchline by Dick Poole but continued running around a bench and then back on the field to touch down for a try. After complaining to a touch judge, the Australians were told “ look how far Australia are in front of us.”
Despite a 19-1 penalty count against them, the Australians beat Avignon 38-11. This 56 side was the first Kangaroos to fly to England but they came home by ship, the Arcadia. For the ship’s fancy dress ball, Norm was Sneezy in a Seven Dwarfs routine.This was good effort from a man who stands 193 cms (six feet four) and played at 98 kgs (216 lbs).
With Jack Rayner as his partner, Norm was in the second row for NSW in the brawling match at the Cricket Ground on 10 July 1954 which was abandoned by referee Aub Oxford after 56 minutes with the home team leading 17-6.
Photographer John O’Grady took a great picture of the muddied opposing captains Arthur Summons (Wests) and Norm from St. George, embracing on the field after the 1963 Grand Final. This is probably the game’s most famous photo and was the model for the Winfield Cup.