Australia: Wallabies and England to compete for new Ella-Mobbs Cup

The Wallabies and England will be competing for the Ella-Mobbs Cup when they face off in their three-Test series in Australia during July.

Rugby Australia (RA) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have formally confirmed the naming of the cup which honours two iconic former players from Australia and England, Mark Ella and Edgar Mobbs.

The decision was made to celebrate the rich history between these countries which goes back to 1909 when they faced each other for the first time.

Ella is celebrated as one of the game’s most gifted players who was the Wallabies‘ first Indigenous captain and a key player on their Grand Slam tour in 1984.

Mobbs, meanwhile, scored the only try in the first encounter between the countries which Australia won 9-3 in Blackheath, England. He went on to captain his country in 1910 before being killed in action during the third Battle of Ypres, while serving his country in the First World War.

“Rugby Australia and the Rugby Football Union are proud to introduce a new trophy that, we believe, is an outstanding representation of the Rugby histories of both nations,” RA CEO Andy Marinos said in a statement.

“Australia and England first played against each other over 113 years ago – when we looked at this extraordinarily long and proud Rugby history, it was logical that our trophy should represent and celebrate that history.

“Mark Ella is one of the most famous and loved Australian Rugby players – both in terms of his success, and the way that he played the game… He is loved for his enterprising and dynamic style, and the unbridled joy that he gave Rugby fans who had the privilege of watching him.

“We are thrilled to be able to further acknowledge the contribution that Mark Ella has made to our sport in