Joe Roff at University of Canberra

If you happen to be buying your lunch or sipping on a coffee in the UC Refectory and you see a tall, dark haired man that strangely resembles ex Brumbies and Wallabies great Joe Roff. Chances are it is.

But convincing your mates may be somewhat harder.

‘Don’t be ridiculous’! You will hear your them say as you point the man out to them.

The banter will continue as you hear them say things like ‘why would Roffy be here at our uni?’ Causing you to quickly type Joe Roff up in Google to try and prove them wrong.

Numerous results will come up, 709,000 in fact, but as you glance down the page, the second result will catch your attention straight away. It is titled ‘UCU appoints Joe Roff as CEO at the University of Canberra’.

To much of the amazement of your mates, you were right!

You click on the article and read that the former Brumbies and Wallabies player was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the University of Canberra Union in June last year.

It’s a scenario that will occur to many students at the University of Canberra, as the idea and knowledge of having Joe Roff working at campus takes a while to settle in.

Even though Roff was appointed in the role early last year, many students are still unaware that he works at the University and have no idea what he actually does.

Rugby Career

But for rugby fans in Canberra, the name Joe Roff brings back many memories of a skinny but lightning quick 20 year old, beating his opponents down the sideline for the Brumbies in their inaugural Super 12 season in 1996.

That season Roff was instrumental in helping guide the Brumbies to fifth place on the ladder and got eyes watching when he stared in the sides win over the Natal Sharks at Manuka Oval, scoring four scintillating tries and being named man of the match.

This performance was just the beginning of a career that led to Roff being regarded as one of the all time great Australian rugby players.

After making his international rugby debut for the Wallabies in 1995 at only 19,

Roff went on to play 86 times for the Brumbies and the Wallabies.

When Roff retired from Australian rugby in 2004, his highlights included two Super Rugby titles with the Brumbies, a World Cup win with Australia and a successful series win against the British and Irish Lions.

He also held the record for the top try scorer in Super Rugby and stills holds the record for most tries scored in a season with 15.

His magnificent rugby career made Joe Roff a household name in sporting and Rugby families  around the world and is still regarded as one of the most brilliant rugby players to ever grace the field.

Role at UC

This would cause any student at the University of Canberra to wonder why then would such a famous sporting athlete be working here at UC and not following some of his ex teammates into coaching or management.

For Roff it comes down to two things. Firstly he wants to be apart of a vision to turn UC into one of the most highly regarded Universities in the country and secondly he wants to give back to the Canberra community which gave so much to him over his career.

“My role is about ensuring that students have a transformative experience during their time at UC by creating positive experiences through live music, clubs and societies, sport and recreation, and services and amenities like food and beverage,” Roff said

“It is a broad and interesting role, and I love the environment, energy and atmosphere around the campus.

“Playing professional sport is a finite career. I took up the role at UC because i believe life is not static but is about collecting experiences and working with good people. I feel as though i am doing that at the moment”.

Roff believes it is important that young professional athletes attend places like uni and create goals for what they want to achieve when they retire.

He believes that professional athletes sometimes live too much in the now and don’t prepare themselves for what lies ahead when their playing days are over.

“You have to prepare to make a transition from the time you first start playing” Roff said.

“Therefore I completed a degree whilst playing, went to Oxford to complete another degree, and then transitioned into the work force after i finished playing.

I worked with a consulting firm and then with Lifeline in the not for profit sector”.

UC and Sport

With the University continuing their major sponsorship with the Brumbies this year, Roff is hoping the Uni can become the premier sporting university in the country.

He hopes that athletes will come to study and then further their sporting ambitions with the great sporting facilities that are planned for the campus.

“One of the Universities strategic goals is to become the leading university for sports academia and sport related research” Roff said.

“We will be home to the Brumbies as of next year, as well as a number of other community based sports.

“Whilst we are a young university there is a lot of vision and ambition, so I believe we are in for some exciting years ahead in growing stronger links with both professional and community level sport”.

Sponsorship of the Brumbies

While some students and critics have slammed the sponsorship of the Brumbies as a waste of money, Roff believes it’s a blessing in disguise.

“Everything the university does relates to its core mission of providing a quality education for our students” Roff said.

“The relationship with the Brumbies has enormous benefits, and this sponsorship, as with all good ones, relates more to a partnership than anything else.

“The university is really well placed to grow and capitalise from the sponsorship of the Brumbies.

“The notion of the sports commons, and introducing more sports to the campus, will create a cluster of sports, research and industry that will create incredibly exciting opportunities for students and the university”.

The sponsorship which is worth over $1million, includes the major naming rights sponsorship of the team, as well the UC logo being displayed on all home and away jerseys as well as all official team wear and merchandise.

The University and the Brumbies also agreed on a deal which will see the side move from it’s current Griffith headquarters to a $15million high performance centre as early as next year and Roff believes it will give many opportunities to students.

“There are very few places in the world where you can have an internship with one of the best rugby teams in the world on your very own campus” Roff said.

“Or where our research students in sports science have access to the best athletes in the world just metres from their classrooms”.

It’s a vision that will get many students, especially sports students, very excited knowing that they could soon be sharing the Refectory with not only Joe Roff but the entire Brumbies team.