Jim Armstrong

Souths prop Jim Armstrong, originally from the Riverina area, was also a champion heavyweight wrestler. Armstrong came to Sydney to join the police force in 1938 and learned to wrestle as a cadet. Playing for Souths from 1939 he did not make his rep debut until after World War II. Armstrong played for NSW in 1946 and his sole Test appearance came in the third and deciding Test against Great Britain in the 1946 Ashes series. Australia lost the match 20-7, with Armstrong retaining his amateur status to continue his wrestling career. Armstrong retired as a player at the end of 1947 to train for the 1948 Olympics. He won the broNZe medal in London and the gold medal at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland. ‘Big Jim’ Armstrong was seven times Australian champion and was undefeated NSW champion for 23 years. He was also a silver medalist in the 1962 Commonwealth Games -14 years after his first Olympics.