Frank McLoughlin – UQRFC Life Member
At our 2025 Annual Test Match Lunch, Francis (Frank) McLoughlin was awarded Life Membership to the University of Queensland Rugby Football Club. Excerpts from Mark Anderson’s speech on the day… For decades, Frank has been a quiet force, a tireless worker, and a true embodiment of the UQ Rugby spirit. Frank boarded at Nudgee College, alongside his five brothers, before University studies in Toowoomba and later Townsville set him on a path to a 40 plus teaching career. While posted at Dajarra State School, Frank travelled 160 km each weekend to play for the Euros Rugby Club in Mount Isa. There, he spent two seasons in the front row, winning the Reserve Grade Grand Final in 1984, learning the craft from hardened miners from around the globe. In 1985, Frank returned to Brisbane and joined his brother Alan (aka Slim) at UQ Rugby. Thus began a lifelong association with the Club. On the Field, Frank played across 2nd to 5th grade for over a decade, often reserving and playing multiple games in a single day. Despite his modest stature, he was a formidable prop—earning respect from opponents including John ‘Knuckles’ Connolly built a reputation of being a very difficult prop to pack against. Though Grand Final glory for UQ eluded him as a player, his legacy was just beginning. Off the Field, coerced by Club Chairman Ian East at the RE Hotel, Frank became Honorary Secretary, serving as: Club Secretary (1986–1988) Assistant Manager on the 1987 Ireland Tour (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast) World Cup Liaison Officer 1987 when UQ hosted Japan QRU Council Representative and Judiciary Appeals Panel Member NSW Team Liaison Officer (with Col Rees) over many years. In 1989, he joined the UQ Sport Board, serving over two decades as Secretary, advocating for equity and funding across all sporting clubs. He helped shape UQ Sport’s constitution, served on the Scholarships Committee. He was a member of the Constitution, Blues, University Recreation Area committee, The Rec Club but his passion for scholarships ensured players like Tom Murphy, Pat Howard, Nathan Sharpe, Stephen Moore, and James Horwill were given assistance in the University and Rugby careers. He received: UQ Sport Club Service Award for Rugby (1993) UQ Sport Honorary Life Membership (1997) – a rare honour As an historian and archivist, the touring programs for our overseas tours required some of the UQ Rugby history, so for the 1987 Tour to Ireland, Frank began collecting player data and club history. In 2011, after four years of research with John O’Hare and Vince Creigh, he co-published the two-volume UQ Rugby History. Today, he continues to share insights and memories on the Former Players WhatsApp group, keeping the spirit alive. Frank spent 42 years in education and 26 years in administration culminating in 11 years as Principal at Ferny Hills State School, retiring in 2022. He met his wife Meegan at McDowall State School, and together they’ve supported his tireless service to the Club. Recent Contributions include First Grade Manager (2019–2022) – overseeing 103 games, including premierships in 2019 and 2021 where he initiated past player profiles, pre-match talks, and supported players with jobs, housing, and life advice. In 2025, he’s taken on the role of Colts 1 Manager and Membership Coordinator for the Foundation, leading the rollout of our new digital platform. Frank is a proven organiser, a man of detail, and a tireless worker. But above all, he is humble, selfless, and deeply committed to others. His impact spans generations, and his spirit continues to shape the culture of UQ Rugby. To Meegan and the McLoughlin family—thank you for sharing him with us.
