Dom Shipperley
Wing
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Profile
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Height:
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186cm
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Weight:
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94kg
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Date Of Birth:
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04/01/1991
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Place of Birth:
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Redcliffe
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Rugby Career
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Senior Club:
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Brothers
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Stats
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Provincial Rugby Caps:
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33
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Provincial Rugby Points:
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55 (11t)
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Provincial Rugby Debut:
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2011 vs Hurricanes, Wellington
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Super Rugby Caps:
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33
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Super Rugby Points:
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55 (11t)
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Super Rugby Debut:
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2011 vs Hurricanes, Wellington
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Test Rugby Caps:
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3
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Test Rugby Debut:
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2012 v South Africa, Perth
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St.George Queensland Reds winger Dom Shipperley enjoyed a ground-breaking 2012 season, capped off with Wallaby honours, the Most Improved Player for the Year Award for the Reds, and Super Rugby’s Try of the Year accolade.
However, arguably his biggest contribution came in round one against the NSW Waratahs, when the Reds broke a nine-year losing drought in Sydney and retained the Bob Templeton Cup following his last minute heroics of which secured a memorable 25-21 win.
The game was under lock and key for the Waratahs at 21-18 with seconds to play, until the home side carelessly gave the Queenslanders one final chance when replacement halfback Brendan McKibbin returned possession to the Reds and kicked the ball deep. The Reds backed their nerve and their championship steel of 2011 to launch one final attacking raid. When the ball reached the right wing, Dom took off on a 75-metre sprint, slipping one tackle and running past four other defenders before beating the desperate covering tackle of Bernard Foley.
He finished off the regular season in parallel fashion, running in another stellar try against the Waratahs in round 18 after plucking a fumbled ball off the deck to dash to the line in the 50th minute.
Dom ticked all the boxes for the coaching group after excelling in a season where he scored eight Super Rugby tries, equal with Ben Tune in the Reds’ Super Rugby season try-scorers list and behind only Chris Latham’s effort of 10 tries in 2002.
His standout performances on the wing and ability to score points didn’t go unnoticed at national level, receiving a 2012 starting Test debut against South Africa in Perth after an injury forced out winger Drew Mitchell. In his second appearance for the Wallabies against Argentina, Dom showed he has toughness to match his speed, playing on despite dislocating his finger during the match.
Dom has had an express ride to Test selection after making his Super Rugby debut against the Hurricanes in Wellington during the 2011 season, before playing six more games for the club that year.
Dom and fellow youngster Liam Gill were originally drafted into the 2011 Australian Under 20s squad for the Junior World Championships in Italy in May, but were later released as injury cover for the Reds in their roll towards the Super Rugby Championship.
An accomplished athlete, Dom made his Australian Sevens debut during the 2009/2010 season and was a consistent performer in the Michael O’Connor coached squad which finished the World Series in third.
Later that year, Dom further impressed with the Australian Under 20s, scoring a hat trick of tries in Australia’s pool match victory over South Africa in Argentina.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dom attended proud Rugby school Nudgee College on an academic scholarship and finished with an OP1. Highly regarded for his physics and maths skills, Dom was also a former national hurdles and state triple jump champion, while he is now studying Commerce at university.
***Updated 14/05/2013***