Duncan McRae (rugby)

Duncan McRae (born 27 September 1974 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer. In union he played at fly-half or full-back.

McRae attended Sydney Boys High School in the early 1990s along with Chris Whitaker. He was former Australian Schoolboy international. In the 1990s McRae spent six seasons in the NRL with South Sydney and Canterbury. In 1996 he played a season with the London Broncos in Super League.

In 1997 McRae switched codes playing three seasons with the New South Wales Waratahs. In 2000 McRae joined Saracens, before returning to the Waratahs and Randwick in 2001. In 2001, during the match between the New South Wales Waratahs and the British and Irish Lions, McRae was sent off for punching Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara and later received a seven week suspension, the disciplinary panel stating "There was no dispute that McRae struck O'Gara repeatedly and caused an injury that required medical attention." However, as it was the Australian off-season, the seven week ban amounted to a zero game ban. In October 2003 McRae joined Gloucester.

McRae retired in 2006. This was after having a severe neck injury. In a game in the 2005/2006 Zurich Premiership against Saracens McRae entered a ruck and crushed vertebrae at the top of his spinal column. He played a few more games but retired shortly after, returning to Australia

External links

• Bulldogs profile of Duncan McRae